Forbidden Love
by Rainbow Platypus
Summary: Something I wrote when I was a stupid fangirl. Read if you want a My Immortal type thing. ...No, please don't.
1. SHIT!

Okay this is with my friends and my Naruto Characters.

Miko Mikoyasha (on fanfiction) she really hates Kabuto so I write this to humiliate her XD JK.

I'm Sukai ot Sukai-chan so yeah.

THIS IS FOR YOU MIKO!

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"What time is it?" Sukai asked.

Miko turned over in bed to look at her alarm clock.

"4 AM..." Miko grumbled to her exhausted friend.

"SHIT WE OVERSLEPT!"

"I knew having a sleep over the night of a mission was a bad idea, Sukai!"

"SHUT UP!"

Sukai sprinted to the bathroom with her red hair flying behind her and her green and pink uniform under her arm. She threw her clothes on the bathroom floor and rapidly started brushing her teeth.

_Baka... _Miko thought and threw the covers off of her. She stepped over Sukai's sleeping bag and closed the door. She began to grumbled and began to get dressed.

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"Sukai you are once more later than Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said as Miko and Sukai stepped to the village gates. Naruto sarcastically clapped.

Sukai laughed "Shut up, Naruto!" she said.

Sukai's attention snapped from Naruto to a particular Uchiha leaning against a tree.

She walked over.

"Hey, Emo, are your scars healing up?" She laughed.

Sasuke grimaced. God he hated her...

"Shut up you skank." He smirked.

"Bastard."

"Slut."

"Man-whore."

"Bitch."

"BUTT-FUCKER!!!"

"Whoah, Whoah, Whoah, Whoah, Whoah, WHOAH!" Kakashi-sensei stepped in-between Sukai and Sasuke. "Sukai-shut up, stop using that language." He turned to Uchiha. "And Sasuke you stop slitting your wrists." Kakashi said jokingly.

Sasuke groaned.

"He's still a worthless piece of scum." Sukai said calmly crossing her arms.

"OH AND LIKE YOU'RE ONE TO TALK YOU STUPID PROSTITUTE!"

"Oh, calm down Sasuke I'm not the one sleeping with Itachi every Friday night."

Miko walked over and sat down next to Sakura while Sukai and Sasuke continued their morning bitch-fit while Sasuke tried to calm them down. Sasuke was currently trying to hit Sukai with a fire-ball-justu for the Itachi remark. Sukai's kekkei genkai defended all fire style attacks with the fire shield jutsu. Hell, her family INVENTED the fire-ball-jutsu.

"Hey, Sakura..." Miko mumbled. Miko really hated Sakura because she totally rejected Naruto.

Miko Naruto and Sukai did everything together. And Naruto confided in Sukai and Miko his love for Sakura. He deserved better, as Miko had told him. Sukai had obviously agreed. But she just acted so above him it made Miko wanna-

"Morning Miko!" Sakura said, obviously clueless.

"Okay Squad seven!" Kakashi yelled pushing Sasuke and Sukai away from each other with all his limbs.

"Since you're the only squad of 5 this mission will be difficult!" Kakashi barked back orders.

"So eat the breakfast you packed. And we'll get moving." Kakashi shoved Sukai against a tree.

"DAMN IT SUKAI GO AND EAT!!!!!"

Sukai brushed herself off and healed her impact spot. "Hai, Kaka-sensei."

Sukai, Sasuke and Miko pulled out their breakfast. Miko had Veggie Miso, Sasuke had Bean paste dumplings and Sukai packed fried shrimp ramen...Yum. Miko cringed in disgust at her friend's concauction. Sukai accidently burned her ramen once and it tasted so good, she purposely burned it from then on. Miko hated it. She of course, never tried it, but from the way it sounded... Ick...

Sakura had already eaten her portion pack (diet) and Naruto had already scarfed down his instant pork ramen.

Miko sighed. This was a tough mission. _We need to steak-out the Akatsuki_? she thought _As if they won't notice us... At least we all have been practicing concealing our chakra._ Miko sipped the last of the Miso broth, wiped her chopsticks off, and stuffed them back in her bag. She straightened her burgandy-maroon uniform and waited for Sukai and Sasuke to finish. They didn't take long. They were having a contest.

"I WIN!" they said in unison as they slammed down their plastic bowls and plates.

They glared at each other. "NO! I WON!" electricity sparked as their glares clashed.

No one could tell who won. Naruto claimed it was Sukai while Sakura sided with her precious Sasuke-kun. Kakashi and Miko just watched and talked about their route and battle plan...

Miko sighed at sat down against a tree.

She tilted her head back.

_This is going to be a long mission..._


	2. MY SUSHI!

Chapter 2

--------------------------------

Miko and Sukai jumped in unison from branch to branch. Sukai was lagging a bit behind. She was still tired.

"Sukai pick up the pace!" Miko shouted back.

"Hai Miko-sama," Sukai yawned, and jumped along faster.

They traveled through the tree-tops in the forest quietly when Miko broke the silence.

"Sukai."

"Hai!"

"Do you think we can handle this mission just the 2 of us?"

Kakashi-sensei divided team 7 into two groups, because everyone knew that this mission was way to serious for a mass group to attack from one spot. No, Sukai and Miko were to take the alternate route and attack the target from behind.

"Well, we ARE traveling to Orochimaru's hide-out... It's an S-ranked mission, and we are only chuunin. It's dangerous."

"Well we need to be at the top of our game." Miko began. She tossed a Rx bottle over her shoulder Sukai caught it. "What's this then?"

"A food pill. It will restore your energy. Take it." Miko was a highly trained medical ninja, and she had an enormous amount of chakra, so she could heal wounds with much ease. Sukai was skilled at ninjutsu and fire techniques, but like Naruto, Sukai was eager to learn to heal. She just couldn't get it right though.

Sukai popped the food pill in her mouth. She crunched it up and swallowed.

Sukai coughed. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"

Miko smirked. "Fish flavor."

"I hate you." Sukai said.

Miko and Sukai both laughed.

"Hn, you two are really loud."

"Oh right. You're here." Sukai said looking disgusted at the emo. It was true, Sasuke was placed in their group. Kakashi said it was for team-work practice.

FLASHBACK

"Sensei! This is no time for practice this is a real mission! And it's not like we are going to help each other if one of us is trapped! It will get in the way!" Sukai argued. She was shaking her fist and yelling.

She stomped her foot at the city gate. Naruto threw away his bowl and joined the rest of the group.

"SHANNARO!" Sakura added. Sakura didn't want to be on Naruto's team alone. Not without ahem "her" Sasuke-kun.

"Don't argue. This is a perfect time for practicing this."

"Hmph." Sasuke and Sukai said in unison.

-END OF FLASHBACK-

"Right. Listen, you two." Miko stopped on a branch and turned around. "I am NOT baby-sitting you two. Alright? Forget your feelings towards each other and suck it up, because Sasuke, if something happens to Sukai and you were able to stop it but chose not to, I will hurt you." Miko turned her attention towards Sukai. "The same goes for you, Sukai-chan."

"Meh." Sukai said.

"Okay, we've been traveling for 8 hours, it's time to rest." Sukai said.

They unpacked in a forest clearing. Sukai rolled out her sleeping bag, the same one from the sleep-over and started a fire.

Miko set up the pot where they were going to cook over the fire and Sukai lit a match. Sasuke unpacked the portion packets.

He shuffled through them.

_Ramen, Ramen, Miso, Sushi- wait, sushi?_ he quirked an eyebrow.

They didn't pack sushi...

He turned over the sushi box.

There was a note on a post-it.

"Eh?"

'_This sushi belongs to Sukai. Don't eat it, ITS MINE! You hear that?! M-I-N-E! Mine!'_

Sasuke got his devious look. He chuckled lightly and stuffed the sushi in his sleeping bag.

"Sasuke get your emo butt over here and eat." Sukai hollered. Miko and Sukai got the fire going and water was boiling for the ramen and miso.

"Coming." he called.

The group dragged their sleeping bags over around the fire, and sat down, all facing the fire, except for Sasuke. He was hunched over something in his lap with his back towards Sukai and Miko.

"Itadakimasu!" they said in unison.

Sukai shuffled through the food. "Eh?!" Sukai tossed up the instant ramen and miso up in the air.

Sasuke turned around. "What?" he said with a mouth full of sushi, and chopsticks in hand.

Sukai's eyes narrowed. "You..." She leaped across the fire and tackled the raven-haired emo.

"YOU FAG THOSE ARE MY CALIFORNIA ROLLS!"

Sasuke choked on the his food. (Sukai punched him in the stomach)

Miko sighed and put in the dried miso. The water sizzled and the tight square of noodles softened and expanded.

"Oh are these YOURS? I didn't realize. I'm sorry." Sasuke smirked malichously.

"LIKE HELL YOU DIDN'T!" Sukai made hand-signs.

"Ember Petal no- ACK"

A kunai dug into her leg. Miko glared at her with her own hand extended in the throwing position. (She threw it). "Stop wasting your chakra."

Sukai winced and dug out the kunai.

"Damn."

She looked up at her fuzzy brown haired friend "Miko, you'd better heal this."

"And waste MY chakra?" She turned and placed a hand on her chest. She raised her eyebrows and dropped her jaw to make it look like she was appaled from such a statement. "She turned around and poured some miso into a bowl. "I think not."

"MIKO GET OVER HERE!" Sukai snapped.

Miko laughed. "Jeez, I was kidding." Miko walked over and gathered orange chakra in her palm. she placed her hand on the cut in the lower calf and started healing it. The torn skin started growing back together and the pain faded away.

"Thanks." Sukai said.

Sukai stood up and went over to the pot. She poured herself some miso.

Miko slurped up her own bowl.

Sukai turned to Sasuke. "You owe me a box of sushi when we get back, Uchiha."

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He watched from the tree.

_Interesting... The speed of her healing skills surpass my own... She could be useful._

The grey-haired teenager thought. He adjusted his glasses and dissapeared.


	3. Miko Morohomiki

Chapter 3

Sun shone through the branches of the trees hitting the 3 chuunin, all with snot-bubbles and all lightly snoring.

Sun-rays danced on the fresh stream next to them in the clearing.

Miko grumbled and slowly opened one eye. _Morning... _she thought.

She went over to the stream and splashed some water on her face. She looked at her reflection in the water. she was still in her maroon uniform, and her hair was messily pulled back in a high short mussy bun. She stretched down one of her curls and allowed it to boing up. She sighedn and got up to get a bucket. You could only wake up Sukai with a bucket of freezing water.

Shaking her, smacking her, tickling her, screaming at her, all useless. Until you splash water on her. Then she shoots up and is fully awake. Miko only used this as a last resort usually, but on a mission, It was crucial for her to get up. Miko turned around to get a bucket, and froze at the sight she saw. Then she cracked up laughing.

Sukai and Sasuke had their hands wrapped around each other's necks as if they did it in their sleep.

_They must have had dreams of killing each other... _Miko grabbed a bucket from the supplies and dipped it in the creek. It immediately filled with water and she scooped the bucket up in her hands.

_Looks like I have to splash Sasuke too, I can't ONLY hit her, they're too close. Ah screw it._ She thought

She pulled back the bucket and swung it up in the air and the water went flying out. it landing smack on Sukai and Sasuke's faces and necks.

"Peh! Nani?" Sukai grumbled.

"Hn?" Sasuke opened his eyes and they leaned back on their hands. They turned and saw each other. Their eyes widened and they both totally forgot about the water.

"DA FUCK?!" Sukai screamed.

"Sneaking up on me while I'm asleep, are you?!" Sasuke yelled. They jumped back.

"Don't blame this on me!" Sukai said while wringing out her curly hair.

"Both of you shut up. It was sleep walking/rolling er- whatever you tried to strangle each other in your sleep, ok?" Miko explained.

"Ooohhhh..." they said.

_That's exactly what my dream was... _Sukai thought.

"Um, yeah well go wash your faces and shit we gotta move out."

"Hai!" Sukai saluted.

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"Orochimaru-sama!" Kabuto yelled as he entered the lair.

"What is it Kabuto?" The snake-man hissed.

"I found the girl you said to find. I saw a demenstration of her skill, she is highly trained and quick with healing." Kabuto said and bowed.

"Hm..." Orochimaru pondered. "When do you plan on kid-napping her?"

"Today Orochimaru-sama, but I must say, don't you think it would be easier to capture her whole team so they stay out of the way?"

"Even better. Get the fire ninja, she has unsurpassed fighting skills and chakra."

" My Lord, Uchiha Sasuke was with them too."

"Ah, perfect." Orochimaru grinned in the darkness. "Bring him to me also, I will have his eyes, finally."

He burried himself deep within the chair and smiled.

"Dismissed."

"Hai." Kabuto dissapeared in a puff of smoke.

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-8 hours later-

"Alright team we've traveled our daily eight hours, Unpack." Miko said.

They jumped down to a clearing and did the same routine they did the day before. Unpack, cook, eat, etc.

"Sasuke!" Sukai called.

"What is it you whore?" Sasuke grumbled.

Sukai smiled sweetly. "Never mind. It's nothing." And she skipped off.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. _She's up to something..._

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Kabuto jumped from tree to tree. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

_It's such a shame she has to be turned evil. She is very beautiful... But if the records are correct..._

_-FLASHBACK-_

Kabuto walked to the front of the Konoha hospital. I need access to the file room.

The secritary looked up. "Do you have authorized personnel?" Kabuto nodded and held up his medical ID card.

"Yakushi Kabuto, eh? Quite a respected medical-nin. I've heard of you." She handed him his card back along with the keys to the file room. "Arigatou."

Kabuto unlocked the door and flipped on the lights. He walked over to the file cabinet marked 'L-P'

"Mikaru...Momochi...Ah! Here it is, Morohomiki Miko."

_-Shinobi File-_

_First Name: Miko_

_Clan/sur-name: Morohomiki_

_Kekkei Genkai: None_

_Date of Birth: Summer 72nd_

_Graduated from academy: Age 10_

_Gender: Female_

_Looks: Brown fuzzy corkscrew-hair, brown eyes, mixed skin, sometimes mistaken for a white person._

_Parents: Debriko Gundokin and Geridiki Morohomiki_

_Siblings: Unknown_

_History: 5 Therapuetic sessions with Godaime_

_6 academy brawls_

_4 Friends_

_198 succecful missions_

_Rank: Chuunin_

_Opponent in Chunnin exam: Yakushi Kabuto_

_Stong points: Medicine, chakra scalpel_

_Other: Picked on by kids, called a dork, retarded, stupid and even fat. She was all alone until she met her current friends. The bullying was so brutal only the Godaime could help calm her down in her time of angst._

Kabuto closed the file. He remembered fighting her. He naturally let her win, not to arouse suspision of working for the powerful Orochimaru, and she was pretty brutal. He stuffed the file in his bag and handed the keys back to the secretary.

"Fine everything you need?"

Kabuto turned away and smirked. "Indeed." He walked out of the hospital of Konohagakure and started his journey back to the lair.

-End Of Flashback-

Kabuto snapped out of his memories and kept jumping.

_I'll be there soon, If they travel for 8 hours a day like they say, they should have a camp just up ahead..._


	4. Captured!

Chapter 4

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"Get ready guys."

Sukai sighed. _Ugh... _She wasn't in the mood to travel at all.

Depressive state, ftw. She thought to herself.

Sukai bent down over the stream and splashed her face. Her hair was dry by now, and it dried in it's naturally boticelli curly style. She tied on her green headband and looked into the water.

She was snapped from her thoughts with a noise.

THUMP

"Chidori!"

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Without any warning a man appeared behind Miko and Sasuke "You three are coming with me."

Miko felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck and everything went black.

THUMP

Sasuke jumped back and made hand-signs. "Chidori!"

Sukai turned around and saw the familiar face... Kabuto...

She appeared at Sasuke's side and made the handsigns.

_Ox, Tiger, Water, Light, Earth, Fire..._

"Ember Petal no jutsu!" Sasuke charged at Kabuto with the Chidori and Sukai blew a swarm of fiery red smoking petals and leaves swirling around Kabuto. Sukai jumped up in the air and continued blowing her attack. She flipped and kicked off a tree with chakra focused to her hand she hit Kabuto in his back, smashing him into Sasuke's chidori.

_Hell yes!_ her mind screamed.

POOF

_A replacement technique? _Sasuke thought.

Sukai fell to her feet on the ground

Kabuto re-appeared behind Sukai. Her eyes widened.

"Shit!" she cursed and turned around ready to kick Kabuto away but he was too quick.

"Chakra scalpel!" Kabuto's palm slashed Sukai's neck.

She gasped and fell to the ground. She grabbed her neck.

_REMEMBER WHAT MIKO TAUGHT YOU _she gathered green chakra in her palm and tried to heal the wound, but it failed.

_Miko smiled at Sukai and laughed. "You can't learn to heal like that." Sukai looked up, almost all her chakra was gone. _

_"Think of it as an eraser - anything it touches heals, and you need to use your own force to make it."_

Sukai remembered when Miko first tried to teach her to heal. _A life-force..._

She attempted once more, and green chakra flowed to her neck. but after only 5 seconds it disappeared.

And then everything went black...

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Sasuke was attempting to charge at Kabuto again with the chidori. Kabuto easily blocked and moved his hands in a blur.

"Shikon no jutsu!" (Dead soul skill)

Sasuke yelled and fell to the ground.

Kabuto pushed up his glasses.

_How weak..._

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Miko's eyes fluttered open.

_Nande?! _she quickly sat up but feel down again on the hard concrete floor. She groaned in pain.

_Where the hell am I? _she then snarled _Kabuto..._

The door slammed open revealing a sliver of light from the totally dark room.

The familiar grey haired man with his hair tied back entered the room. He was in the usual purple uniform.

"I thought I heard something." she coughed up some blood and grunted, attempting to get up.

"Don't bother. I've made sure you can't use your legs."

"What the fuck? Why am I here?" Miko wheezed.

Kabuto looked hurt. "What you don't want to be here? That's too bad."

"Shut up! I asked you a question." Miko growled. She was barely able to sit up and rest her torso against her knees. Her hands were tied behind her back, and the back of her neck ached something awful.

"You are in no position to be making demands, Morohomiki Miko." he smirked and picked something off a table next to the door, and a light filled the room, he had lit an oil lamp.

Miko looked around the room, even though moving her neck hurt, she had to see what was going on.

Sasuke and Sukai were lying on either side of her,seeming as if they had been plopped down carelessly on the floor when they had been captured. Their limbs were tied like hers, arms bound at wrists with twine and feet bound at the ankles, they were still unconcious.

The room was totally grey, concrete floor and walls with a bolt-lockable door where Kabuto had entered.

" I used Shikon no jutsu on Uchiha," Kabuto began,gesturing to Sasuke, "And Chakra scalpel on her neck." he motioned towards Sukai. Kabuto walked over to Miko and pulled out a kunai. She gasped. But to her relief all he did was kneel down and cut her free of the ropes. She rubbed her wrist-indented from rope marks. She looked up and Kabuto with a 'Nani?' expression on her face.

"You may want to start healing them, or they will..." Kabuto began and turned around.

"They'll WHAT?" Miko asked, afraid she already knew the answer.

Kabuto glanced over his shoulder. "They'll die, of course."

Kabuto left and double bloted the door.

Miko wasted no time, she got right to work healing her team.

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I'm kind of dissapointed no one's reading this...

So yeah Miko, next chapter there will be subtle hints of KabuMiko ok?


	5. WHAT?

Forbidden Love

Chapter 5

Rainbow Platypus

---------------------------

Dedicated to Mikoyasha

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Sasuke's eyes slowly opened to reveal his pitch black dark eyes. "Ugh... What the hell?" he groaned and tried to get up.

Miko looked up from her book and smiled. "Ah, Sasuke! You're up!"

Sasuke looked around. The concrete floor, oil lamps, and... what's that in the corner?

It's obvious they were captured...

"Uh, yeah... So, how you feeling?"

Sasuke looked like his emo self and said "Fine, but where are we?"

"Orochimaru's lair I think."

"Joy."

"Okay, well Sukai's still asleep, I was barely able to heal her, she was so injured from her cut jugular, and-"

Sasuke laughed.

"Emo Fag, she could have died!"

"I know! That's why it's great!" Sasuke grabbed his sides and rolled on the floor.

Miko reached for her hip pouch for shuriken but decided against it and went back to her book Kakashi had given her...-puts in more elipses to drive reader crazy-...

When they all were gennin, Naruto, Sasuke, Sukai, and Miko, oh and Sakura, kind of, tried to steal Kak-sensei's book. Miko was really the only one who could get her hands on it, and when she read it, she fell in love with it and it's **LEMON**-y fresh goodness. (You see what I did there? I snuck the word "lemon" into it's description... Because it's a hentai... and lemon... Eheeheehee... How clever am I?) So Kakashi-sensei, Jiraiya and Miko organized a book-club. Miko had many missions so she was behind on the current volume they had to read, so if she was going to be sitting she may as well do something useful.

"So, Porn again, huh?" Sasuke asked after he settled down and smirked.

"No! It's... um... Graphic Passionate Romance novels. Heh heh... yeah that's it.." Miko chuckled nervously and went back to reading.

"Is that why you keep tissues in you bag?" Sasuke asked raising an eyebrow

"No they stop bleeding from wounds on missions. Shut up, I'm reading." Miko snapped and dabbed her nose daintilly with a tissue.

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"So that's the plan, eh?" Kabuto asked bowing before Orochimaru-sama's chair in the back room of the lair. "I train her, and you train the other 2?"

Orochimaru nodded. "Yes, Kabuto, now you must go and tell them how we train them."

"HAI!" Kabtuo dissapeared in a puff of smoke.

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Miko giggled and closed her book.

"What a great chapter!" Miko said.

"Jiraiya probably think you're heaven on earth." Sasuke said and sweatdropped.

Miko laughed but was interuppted by a door slamming open.

"Miko come with me."

"WHAT?!" Miko stared with a confused look on her face.

"I need to train you."

"WHAT?!" Miko's eyes turned as big as saucers.

"I said I need to train you." Kabuto pushed the door against the wall.

"...WHAT?!" Miko said.

"Shut up." Kabuto turned to Sasuke. "You and the temperal bitch train with Orochimaru."

"WHAT?!" Miko said again.

"Whoah whoah whoah whoah WHOAH!" Sasuke held his hands out in front of him as if he were shoving the air.

Sasuke stood up. "Number 1: Why the hell would we train with you? As for 2: Sukai can't come she's not fully healed-or even AWAKE for that matter."

Kabuto smirked and closed his eyes.

"Is that so? Did I really hurt her that badly that the amazing Miko of the Morohomiki clan couldn't even heal her?"

"Y-Yes..." Miko looked down at her sitting lap ashamed.

"Hm." Kabuto said and pushed up his glasses. "Well, Sasuke you stay here with Sukai then until you both can train. Look out for your teammates, hm?"

"Like you're one to talk. I mean, you don't seem like the type of guy to look out for anybody." Miko crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Miko, I'll explain the situation on the way to the training grounds. Then I expect you to tell your friends." Kabuto walked over to Miko, kneeled down, and extened his two pointer fingers, he hit the side of her knee cap on a precise nerve.

"You can move again." Kabuto got up and turned around.

Miko looked at her legs. Sure enough, she got up and walked out of the room with Kabuto.

She looked over her shoulder to Sasuke and gave him an "OK" sign.

Sasuke sighed. He hoped so...

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	6. Training

Miko stepped quietly down the dark hallway with the grey-haired missing-nin walking calmly in front of her. The hallways were dark, and barely lit by some cheap wall lamps. Their footsteps made light clak-ing sounds on the stone grey floor.

_What's going to happen to me? Why Did they capture us? Why isn't Kabuto-teme saying anything? What's going to happen to me? He said he would explain it on the way to the training grounds... But he isn't. Why does Kabuto need to train me? He's only 3 years older than me. I can beat him! I already beat him once... Unless... He let me win? No. He wouldn't... Would he? Of Course! To hide his true strength... That could raise suspicion... Nice move._

Questions flooded Miko's mind, but they were interupted by a cold and emotionless voice.

"You are wondering why we want to train you, yes?" Kabuto said without turning around.

"H-Hai." _What the hell?_ Miko thought. She never stuttered before. Why was she so scared of what a puny 19 year old could do to her? Then again.. He did almost beat a legendary Sannin slash Hokage... He was powerful. She could admit that.

"Well, the reason is quite simple. You will be joining the sound village." Kabuto calmly said.

"NANI?!" Miko stopped right in her place and shouted, her jaw dropped.

Kabuto stopped walking as well and the sound of his shoes against the stone tile ceased. He smirked.

"You will be joining us," Kabuto repeated.

Miko shuddered at the word 'us' _Me? Become a missing-nin? No. I won't. Even with torture they can't make me. I'll never join those bastards! _Miko's stubborn mind protested, but Miko knew better and kept her mouth shut.

Kabuto turned to face the flabberghasted kunoichi dressed in maroon, and continued his explanation.

"You all will be. You, Sasuke, Sukai, all of you. You will become the shinobi of the sound."

"No. No we won't." Miko narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

Kabuto's smirk broadened.

"We'll see about that." Kabuto replied and turned back around and continued walking. Miko reluctantly followed. _Sukai will never go for this... Neither will Sasuke. And most importantly, I won't. I'd rather die..._

Miko glared hard at Kabuto's back, as if imagining a thousand shuriken and kunai were lunging themselves into it.

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Sasuke sat on the cold floor and sighed. He was sitting so that his knees were propped up against hes elbows and his hands were dangling idly between his shins. He looked up at the broken flourescent rectangular lights that stretched across half the room. God he was so bored!

He adverted his gaze from the beaten-up cieling to Miko's hip pouch. She had put it in the corner because it was uncomfortable. _She must have forgotten to take it with her and Kabuto... _Sasuke thought.

Sasuke **HAD** always wanted to see something of Miko's... But she never let him see it. She carried it everywhere so it must be in her pouch now...

Sasuke checked to see if Sukai was awake. She was snoring softly mumbling angrily once in a while.

Sasuke's devious look once again returned.

He crawled over to Miko's bag and opened the snap. He fumbled around in it.

_Bandages...Tissues... Shuriken... Explosive tags... Ah! Here it is._

Sasuke slowly pulled out the orange book with a circle crossed out on the back, and Icha Icha paradise written on the front. There was a picture of a girl running away form a man, who was flirting with her or something and he was chasing her.

Sasuke slowly turned the book to the first page and began reading.

He was silent for a couple of minutes and turned the page.

A grin appeared across his face and he raised his eybrows.

"Heh."

Sasuke reached for a tissue from Miko's bag.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miko and Kabuto reached a large wooden door painted grey.

Kabuto reached for the doorknob and held it open for Miko. She glared at him as she passed and kept on her guard. Kabuto followed her out.

Miko stepped into a circle of lush green trees. _These must be the training grounds..._

Kabuto appeared across form her and crossd his arms.

"Let's see what you got." He said.

"Pardon?"

"I can't train you if I don't know what you need improvement in"

"I already told you I'm not joining your faggy sound village."

"And I said 'We'll see.' Now fight me."

"You asked for it." Miko fell gracefully into a fighting stance and glared hard at her opponent.

_This'll be a piece of cake... _Kabuto smirked.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ooh! Cliffy! That's what you get Miko! How dare you write a cliffy on your story?!

Well, sister, TWO can play at that game!

-Rainbow P.


	7. Miko vs Kabuto

Chapter 7

Forbidden Love

Rainbow Platypus

--------------------------

"Let's see what you got." He said.

"Pardon?"

"I can't train you if I don't know what you need improvement in"

"I already told you I'm not joining your faggy sound village."

"And I said 'We'll see.' Now fight me."

"You asked for it." Miko fell gracefully into a fighting stance and glared hard at her opponent.

_This'll be a piece of cake... _Kabuto smirked.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Miko's curly hair delicately framed her hard glaring face as she glared daggers at her captor. She toughened her gaze, and thought out a battle plan... She had heard the stories of when Kabuto had fought Tsunade... He would have beaten her if it hadn't been for Naruto there, So Miko had to be high on her guard.

"Start whenever you want." Kabuto calmly spoke.

Miko's mind flooded with images... The bleeding Godaime... Orochimaru nearly killing Naruto AND Jiraiya, and how they planned to destruct the leaf... How could one be so evil? Miko clenched her teeth at her sudden thoughts and growled.

She looked up with an expression of fury on her face and shouted.

"YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT! I'LL KILL YOU!"

Miko made handsigns and dark orange chakra was summoned to her palm.

"Chakra Scalpel!" She charged at Kabuto who had his smirk wiped off his face.

Miko headed for Kabuto's nerve located in his neck so that he would be paralyzed neck down. Miko ran faster and appeared behind Kabuto and slammed her two fingers into his neck.

"Heh." Miko laughed. "Weak." But was taken aback by the all to familiar poofing noise.

_Shit..._ Miko's eyes widened as Kabuto appeared behind her and kicked her in the back.

"Nice speed, but we need to work on counters." Miko flew across the field and landed roughly on the dry patch of dirt. She coughed and pushed herself back up with her hands. Miko grimaced and reached for a kunai but instead of feeling the brown leather she always was used to feeling her fingers just ran through air and landed on her hip. Kuso! She forgot to put her hip pouch back on_. Damn. Damn. Damn. _Kabuto grinned at Miko's panic.But then Miko suddenly had a thought

**"You know, since I have so much trouble remembering, I'm always afraid I might foget my weapons!" Sukai said grinning. "That's why I always keep a spare kunai in my boot!" Sukai pointed to the outer side of her left leg where her blue heel-less boot/sandal ended at right below her shin and continued. "It really went a long way once when I forgot my bag, I even won the battle with it! You should try it too, just to be safe." Sukai looked up at her friend in maroon who was listening attentively with her fingers on her chin. "Yeah?" she said pondering this thought. "I guess so, but I really don't forget that often." Sukai laughed. "You never know!"**

Miko snapped out of her brief flash back and grinned and reached inside her black boot. Luckily, some of Sukai's plans weren't ALWAYS half-brained.

Miko slowly pulled out a gleaming freshly sharpened kunai. Kunai's were always a good substitution for a chakra scalpel, because of how much chakra chakra scalpels took up.

Miko appeared near Kabuto, beside him this time, and slashed the kunai at his neck.

Kabuto's eyes widened and tired to block on short notice, but only blocked a bit of the impact, and as a result, a thin stream of blood tricked down Kabuto's neck. Kabuto skidded backwards to get away and stopped.

He inspected his wound and gasped in shock as the blood from his cut jugular slowly trickled down his neck, and the trail of blood got wider, heavier, and faster than before.

"Ugh. That Yariman." Kabuto winced and cursed beneath his breath.

Miko douple back flipped away and landed gracefully and triumphantly away, right in front of a tree, with the kunai she held in front of her smirking face.

"Since you're a med-nin you must know what vital vein I cut." she shouted across the training field to him.

Kabuto smirked and held his hand over his neck wound, applying pressure, in attempt to stop the bleeding and summoned his cyan colored chakra, and closed the vein. He winced in pain, but his healing process was interrupted bu a flying kunai headed straight for his head. Kabuto ducked and stopped healing, but the gash was still opening with every minute that passed.

"Come on then!" Miko yelled, still calmly standing on the other side of the training field.

_Damn... My healing keeps getting interrupted... I have to use my regeneration jutsu... But, It uses so much chakra... I have to do it!_ Kabuto performed hand signs and his body was enveloped in blue chakra. Miko watched from afar and twitched. She had heard of this jutsu before, she had even tried to learn it with her amazing chakra levels as a genin, but for some reason she failed... Everyone wondered why she couldn't do it... Morohomiko's could do any medical technique at a young age. She was impressed a swine like Kabuto could pull off a technique with so much chakra.

Kabuto made more hand signs and even more chakra was pulled to his right palm.

"Chakra Scalpel!"

Kabuto charged toward Miko, who easily dodged his strike, but gasped when something else hit her. A SECOND chakra scalpel, a concealed clone that attacked from behind, the attack rammed into her spine, and pain rang throughout her entire nerve system and body.

Miko tightened her eyes closed, and coughed up blood, as she was thrown against a tree, and stopped moving.

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Japanese Dictionary

Yariman: Slut

Godaime: Fifth (in this context, fifth hokage)

Kuso: Shit


	8. And The Winner IS

Forbidden Love

Chapter 8

Rainbow Platypus

Disclaimer: I own the Kamisori Ha Odori no Jutsu. I made it! Don't Steal! So Swiper no Swiping!

Miko- I just want to say in advance I'm sorry.

----------------------------

Blood spurted from Miko's coughing mouth as she slammed against a tree on her back and fell to the grassy ground.

"Ugh..." Miko groaned and tried to push herself to her feet. Her face was scratched and She had a unbelievable pain in her spine.

"Kabuto you- you bastard!" Miko doubled over in pain and spit out more blood.

She looked up and smirked, "Little do you know..." dark orange chakra consumed her entire body, and died down revealing a perfectly healthy and uninjured miko,standing and grinning, "I'm not weak." She finished, and relied on her one jutsu to kill that sad excuse for a shinobi.

"KamisoriHa Odori no Jutsu!" Miko leaped up into the air and shouted.

Kabuto looked up and gasped._ What the Hell?! _

Little gleaming leaves danced around Miko. Her eyes flashed as the leaves whirled in the air.

"KATSU!" Miko shouted gathering the last of her chakra, to perform the one justu, that could save her tail.

The razor sharp leaves bolted towards the awe-struckKabuto Yakushi, and the leaves danced around him, in a tornado in various shades of green.

Miko smirked. After the Kabuto teme is finished off, she would go and free Sasuke and Sukai-chan, and keep exact directions on their way back to Konoha- or anywhere away from there, so they could find Orochimaru's lair again-

The twister of leaves died down, and Miko expected to see a scarred pin-point nerve attacked Kabuto. But that's not what she saw, in the place of where Kabuto was supposed to be, with his vital nerves and tendons cut, stood... A log?

"Crap!" Miko cursed but it was too late, behind her in the air appeared Kabuto, who had pulled of a substitution jutsu.

"Impressive." Kabuto spoke in his smooth flowing voice and pulled out a black gleaming kunai, and aimed for the brown corkscrew-haired elite shinobi's neck.

Before slamming the kuinai into the back of her neck, he whispered in her ear, "Little do YOU know," Kabuto plunged the kunai into the young Kunoichi's neck and fell gracefully to the ground landing on two feet, as she fell hard on the ground, completely knocked out.

"...I'm not weak either." Kabuto finished, the bloody kunai twirling around his index finger and his hand on his hip, smirking triumphantly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kabuto layed the shortly-breathing kunoichi on the medical ward in the lair.

He didn't mean to actually stab her spinal cord, but she moved at the last second, causing the accidental slip. She was indeed dying, her spiritual pressure was depleting every moment (LOL Sorry Sha, I just **HAD** to add that)

_Ugh... This is gonna suck. _Kabuto sighed and continued his thoughts.

_I already used all my chakra regeneration justu, but she's important to the mission._

Kabuto took out a bottle filled with mini-cocoa puff looking capsules, he unscrewed the bottle, tilted his head back, and popped one in his mouth. He pulled off his fighting gloves and chakra gathered in his bare palm. He wasted no time and got right to healing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Alright Yo, Next chapter is fluffier than a FlufferNutter. So get your fluff-resistant wet-suits Gai Sensei gave you. -puts on green spandex suit-**


	9. Healing

Forbidden Love

Chapter 9

Rainbow Platypus

-------------------------------------------------------

**Okay, I'm happy out of my frigging pants because someone other than Miko reviewed. **

**-squeal- So, all the fluff suits on? Well, if you do, take them off you don't need them. False Alarm -sweatdrop- sorry.**

**Oh- the translation is Razor Leaf Dance Technique. Curtosy of freedict dot com! I don't know if the grammar's right though.**

---------------------------------------------------------

_8 fucking hours... _A very tired sound shinobi was sitting on a wooden chair in the corner of the medical ward, with her head between his knees, attempting to sleep. He had healed for 8 whole hours, healing the vital tendons and wounds, and Orochimaru makes him keep watch?! Ridiculous. The girl wouldn't wake up for at least a couple days, so she wouldn't be able to escape, no need to keep watch...

Kabuto sat up and groaned. This girl wasn't even worth the trouble. She was weak.

Kabuto was deep in thought when his own memories came rushing back to him. When HE was 13, how he could be defeated by anyone and could barely heal a cat. Then he found Orochimaru. He made him strong, and Kabuto was finally treated with respect. I guess that's what everyone wants.. respect from the people around them. Then he remembered the maroon girl's file, and remembered his own shinobi file.

**-Shinobi File-**

**First Name: Kabuto**

**Clan/sur-name: Yakushi **

**Kekkei Genkai: None**

**Date of Birth: Winter 81st**

**Graduated from academy: Age 8**

**Gender: Male**

**Looks: Grey Hair, long usually tied back.**

**Parents: Unknown**

**Siblings: Unknown**

**History: None**

**Rank: Jounin - Currently S-Rank Criminal.**

**Opponent in Chunnin exam: Miko Morohomiki**

**Stong points: Medicine, Chakra Regeneration and Chakra Scalpel.**

**Other: No one knows this shinobi's vilage of origin or history. His life has been a mystery. He wandered to the village of the sound at about 6. He had no idea where he was, or what was going on, he was apparently abandoned. The village elders took him in and let him raise himself in his own house. He was able to do this because he was axceptionally smart and has good judgement. Since he was not originally from the sound, he was picked on, constantly, and could only heal things, fighting was a weakness. This shinobi got so sick of it, at age 14 he abandoned the village to work for Orochimaru.**

They weren't so different after-all.

Kabuto looked up at the sleeping kunoichi. her neck was bandaged and her face had a couple scratches on them, all-in-all, her recovery was coming along steadily- Her breathing was regular, not shallow anymore, her tendons were fully regenerated, and her broken arm from when Kabuto accidently dropped her on the way to the ward was fixed.

_It's really a shame at how much her power is wasted at that weak leaf village, working for us, she could help us destroy the leaf. We would own the leaf village by now. Plus, we need an attractive Sound kunoichi on the team. Tayuya was, ugh-_

Wait a second, What the fuck? Did he seriously just think that? Kabuto rubbed his temples and groaned. _Come on, Kabuto, you're getting high off of fatigue. You need sleep._

Kabuto slumped down in his chair, closed his eyes, and drifted off into a dream-filled sleep.


	10. Down on you

His eyes snapped open.

"Huh? Wha?" he looked around with his eyes half closed and sighed. But they immediately snapped open again.

Miko was gone. Out of her bed—not there.

" That little slut…" He jumped out off the chair and sprinted down the hallway…

'Orochimaru's gonna kill me… Why did I fall asleep?!'

He slammed open the door at the end of the long dark hallway and was blinded by the sudden light. When his eyes finally adjusted, he saw a familiar white skinned, curly brown haired girl stirring something in a pot. She look up with a grin.

"Oh Kabuto! You're up! Just in time for the Miso. Come sit. Come sit!"

Kabuto quirked an eyebrow suspiciously. "Why should I eat that? I don't know what you put in it you horrid wench."

Miko giggled. "Oh come on. It's not poison, I swear." She took a wooden spoon and sipped some broth. "Ah! That's hot. See?" she insisted while fanning off her burnt tongue. "Sthorreh."she smiled and sweatdropped. Kabuto couldn't help thinking it was…well, cute… He immediately dismissed this idea, snorted and filled up a bowl.

"Get a bowl and go back to your room... You can't get out of there like you did in the medical ward…" Miko sighed.

"But it's fun out here! I hate my room!" she whined like a little child, just for kicks.

Kabuto exhaled. "Now."

Miko signed. "No. Come on…"

"…"

"Fine dammit." She walked down the hall, followed by Kabuto, but stopped in front of a metal door and pounded on it.

"Sasuke! Has Sukai come down on you yet?!"

An angry female voice came from inside the door. "SHUT THE FUCK UP WHITE GIRL!!!"

Miko laughed and continued to her door, went in, and Kabuto closed it and locked it.

Next day

Miko yawned and up off the floor. She was in her pink cami and pants she had packed for PJ's. Her arms were stretched out over her head and her back was arched. "Gah…" She exhaled sharply and looked around the room. It was totally dark. Just concrete block hollowed out. She fumbled around for a light switch—and finally found one. The fluorescent white lights flickered on slowly and she rubbed her eyes. She needed a new fucking room. This one sucked.

"Time to get dressed…."

There was Miko, clad in her maroon uniform. She walked up and pounded on the door. "Kabuto! I have visitation rights!!!"

No answer.

She pounded harder.

"KABUTO YOU OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW OR SO HELP ME-"

BAM

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…What, Miko…?"

'Ah shit.' Miko removed her fist from Kabuto's face slowly, and stepped back, with wide eyes.

"S-Sorry." She looked down. "Can I go see mah lovah?"

Kabuto raised his eyebrows.

"Your…WHAT?"

Shauna clenched her eyes and smiled.

"Sukai-I meant Sukai." She put her fist on her forehead.

"Uh…sure? …I didn't know you rolled like that."

Miko swaggered past the grey haired nin.

"Oh, don't worry, hun. It's just a term of endearment." She said, looking back to wink at him.

She stopped at the door and turned around.

"Unlock it!" Miko snapped.

"You are SO not in a position to be giving orders."

" You have SO said that already. Unlock it."

"Psh fine." Miko turned around briefly then turned back.

"Pleeeaaaase Yakushi-kun? Can I pleeeaaase go see my bestie?" She asked in a VERY Sakura-like tone.

Kabuto sighed and stuck the key in the lock. "Damn, shut up."

Miko opened the door and closed it with Kabuto still outside, guarding it, and closed it.

Sukai was in the corner sleeping and drooling.

Sasuke was in the adjacent corner, sitting there—reading the last chapter of Miko's book. He looks up and stuffs the book behind his back and says "Miko—what are you doing here…?"

Sukai snorts and wakes up.

"Did you say 'Miko' ?! OMG MIKO!!! I Haven't seen you in 5 years!!!"

She runs up and suffocates the like out of the healing ninja.

"wheez…It was only—2….days….Sukai-chan getoffme!!!"

She jumps down and sits down.

"Come sit! Come sit! Did you totally pwn Kabuto?"

Miko "No. lol."

Sasuke gapes "What are all of these letters?! Are you even speaking English?!"

"So…did you go down on him yet?" Sukai smirked.

Miko laughed. "Ohoho. Very funny." She leaned in really close and spat "SHUT UP YOU FOOL HE'S RIGHT OUTSIDE!!!"

Sukai put her hair in a ponytail, but kept speaking. "So? He should be happy that I know. After all, I do pwn."

Miko let out an exasperated sigh. "NO Sukai. I did NOT go down on him and I do NOT plan on it."

Sukai laughed her gay donkey laugh of homosexuality.

"HEE-HAWWW!!!"

Miko sat next to her and put her hand on her back.

"It's okay, Sukai. I was the only one who heard you two last night…Your secret's safe with me."

"WHY YOU—!!!"

There, after a long absence I am finally back. XD


	11. Freedom

**Chapter 11**

Romance actually erupts in this chapter mnhyah.

--

"Oh my God, Miko-sama." Sukai eyed her mentor's scars, bruises, and gauze patch on her cheek.

The young girl with her curly brown hair winced in pain and forced a smile. "I'm fine," she calmly spoke, which earned her a snort from her young apprentice/best friend. "Like hell you are! Look at you, you can barely walk! I thought he was going to _train _you not slaughter you!"

A small chuckle. "He didn't slaughter me, babe, it's fine." She closed her eyes, for she had much worse problems to take care of--Primarily, getting out of here. Sasuke looked like shit, his hair was getting greasier by the day, and it was slicking over in his face. This didn't do much justice to Sukai's stereotype of greasy emo hair.

She rested her head against the filthy grey wall and sighed, drifting off into a sleepless nap.

She feared…She was feeling possible sympathy for her captor.

"Uck." The grey-haired teen grunted as he brushed some dirt off of his trousers and chewed the mouthful of miso he had in his mouth.

The chick was a pretty good cook…Why hadn't she try to escape before making thing amazing brew? She could have…She may not have been able to get through the locked door, she still could have sent help for them later. He'd never been more confused in his life. He couldn't possibly trust her? No. It wouldn't be right…She'd be out of there so fast…

He checked the sky. It was dark and sprinkled with stars. They were probably asleep by now. He grabbed the key out of his pocket and proceeded back to the base.

He had no idea he was being followed.

_Creeeaakkkk_

Her eyes blinked open and squinted to the adjusting light. When she saw him standing at the door, her eyebrows raised. "Kabuto…?"

"We're going for a walk." He said indifferently and walked out.

Miko looked over to her two companions to see them totally asleep. She reluctantly got up and followed the refuge ninja out of the cellblock into the hallway. They kept silent, as she just stared at the back of his head.

He really had beautiful hair. She shook her head clear of the thoughts. In result her bouncy curls hit her face.

What the fuck was that? …Everything about him was actually perfect…his face, his eyes…

"Ah!" she gasped a little under her breath, which caught a puzzled over-shoulder look when the grey haired teen stopped and turned around. Her cheeks felt hot as her mouth hung open slightly. She honestly couldn't move. His eyes didn't bore into hers like they usually did. They were…softened.

If only for a split second.

He cleared his throat and kept walking. Miko had literally no idea what had just occurred, but nonetheless she wrenched her legs off of the concrete and continued walking with her head down and a sheepish grin on her face. She instantly wiped it off her face. This kid was a dick. It was just her hormones. It was just her horniness speaking. They finally came out to the door to the training grounds surrounded by cherry blossom trees. As soon as they stepped foot outside Kabuto let out a murmur. "Don't try running. I'm faster than you."

She nodded slowly and leaned against a tree. The young Morohomiki let out a sigh. "What do you want, Yakushi?"

"Nothing much… I just… You're weird."

She quirked an eyebrow.

"No, no, I mean, you're interesting."

"Gee, thanks."

"…Why?"

"…Why what?"

He blinked and sighed a breath that would make ice shiver. "Why didn't you run when you had the chance?"

"…I guess…I just…I couldn't leave them. I mean, they're all I have." She wondered why she felt like pouring her soul out…but…she just did, it felt right…

"…I mean sure, I know Sasuke's a little prick…and…and Sukai's a total retard…" she continued. But they're my besties."

Kabuto wondered how she could call her friends such obscenities…but still seem to care for them.

"…And anyway, I was bleeding. I was wounded….I couldn't fight…Which meant if I were to get caught or encounter anyone I'd most likely fail, despite my obvious superiority." She flashed a cocky grin. "Sukai can't defeat me…so if I can't beat you, you'd probably end up killing her if she'd try to escape… It's not… I don't know…"

"You could have gotten help from the village." He pointed out dryly.

She scoffed as if he'd just suggested her hanging herself. "And leave them here with you asswipes? Who knows what you'd do to Sasuke and Sukai when I'm not here? I don't trust you guys." Her eyes fell to her lap.

"I don't expect you to."

Miko looked up at him, but only met his face for a second when she heard the sound of an object buzzing through the air and saw him doubled over in pain.

"What the—"

"Miko!"

Nani?!

Her eyes shut tight, she look up from the gasping, sputtering shinobi at her feet to see what she dreaded.

Naruto and Kakashi were standing on the other side of the clearing, already rushing towards her.

"Are you okay, Miko?" Naruto asked grabbing her arm and helping her to her feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She looked up at her blonde companion and hoped she wasn't dreaming.

They were finally going to get away.

* * *

"We spent days tracking your chakra and following your tracks. Kiba kinda chipped in with your sent for the first couple of miles too." He wore his signature goofy grin that instantly lightened everyone's day, even if they'd been captive in a concrete room with their worst enemy for 5 days.

After about a day, they finally got to Konoha, and they'd never been more relieved in their lives.

Kakashi sighed. "Well, gotta go file the report to the Godaime." He walked to the Hokage tower, away from the two apprentices.

"Can't I go home now, Sukai-chan?" a distressed yawn. "I'm tired!!"

"No…Let's go to the hot springs, my back is killing me." Her redheaded friend suggested, putting her hands behind her head. "Sleeping on the floor with Sasuke for 5 days doesn't do wonders on the spine."

"Yeah. Sleeping with Sasuke does something else ENTIRELY for you."

"You little—"

--

--

The figure in the black cloak watched the sun rise. She'd traveled 13 hours, only got there so quickly by using chakra to get to the halfway. She climbed into the medical ward to see the kunai wound in his stomach. It looked pretty bad…he must not have even tried to heal himself before crashing. At least it was bandaged.

She looked down at him, and knew it was impossible not to care—impossible not to want to help him. She looked disgusted with herself.

"I-…I couldn't stay away."

* * *


	12. angstz

Chapter 12

Shauna/Skye story chapter ratio: 1:3

Lazy fuck XDDD

Angst warning. XDDD  
---bangs head against wall—Angst, angst, angst, angst…

"What's wrong with Harry?"

You're barely in here because of how we need to set it all up and stuff…sorry…TT

"…What?" a worried look.

"I'm sorry…it's true…"

"No…"

"…Yes."

"But she wouldn't!" Light-headedness.

"She did, Sukai-chan…tebayo."

Her look traveled over to the Hokage's desk. "She—"

"No sign of forced entry was found in her room. She went willingly."

I felt my chest cave in and Sukai tried to keep falling over. She ran her fingers through her hair and choked out a pathetic "Why?"

After being her teammate for many years I'd learned a few things about Sukai. One, she hated Sasuke, of course. Two, she hated putting up with crap. But the point is number three, she never let anyone see her cry. We used to joke she was born without tear glands. But she told me.

She told us everything.

Until Miko left.

So the next thing that happened surprised me. She looked at Sasuke, then Kakashi, then me, with tears down her face. "Naruto, please tell me this is a joke."

The pain in her eyes reminded me of myself in the academy. Some sadistic part of me laughed that someone finally knew what it was like to be alone. But this was Sukai. She'd been alone all her life.

I shook my head solemnly. For once in my life, I hadn't said anything since I heard the news. I couldn't blame the girl. Miko-sama was her mentor, afterall. If Jiraiya ever left, I'd get fucked-up too.

"_Naruto, what's wrong?" the maroon-outfit clad ninja walked up to the swing set with her best friend at her side. He'd been crying again._

_A look of concern littered her otherwise pretty face. Naruto looked up. The only two who'd ever really been remotely nice to him. A weak smile._

"_Just the…"_

"_Freak thing?" Sukai finished for him._

"…_Yeah." They knew what it was like too._

_Miko and Sukai had been feared simply because of their kekkei genkai. Miko had an amazing ability that no one quite fingured out yet, well, as least us. Kakashi-sensei has to keep her from using it on people. It was powerful beyond belief…It's just a rumor…but some of us heard it can tear people's insides up in one strike…Fatal to ANYONE who gets hit with it._

_She could even kill the hokage._

_Sukai comes from the Gyasun clan…strictly fire jutsus, with the exception of a couple dark and shadow jutsus. When she was a little girl…her kekkei genkai took over. No one had seen it that bad. Her body set off blazing flames all around her. She of course…was unscathed, except for how she passed out after she used it out of exhaustion. _

_Her parents...however...were not._

_And as they all say…_

"_A girl who kills her parents can't be trusted."_

_Even if it wasn't her fault._

_She kicks herself to this day for it._

_Miko sat down on the swing next to him and ruffled his hair. "Wanna talk about it?"_

"_No." a true smile this time. "I'll be fine,' tebayo!"_

_The fact that someone actually wanted to hear his problems was all he needed._

Shuffling feet headed towards the door.

"_Where the fuck do you think you're going?"_

The venom in her voice was so strong, you almost imagined it dripping off her lips.

"I'm going to train of on my own…what's it look like?" Sasuke didn't take his hands out of his pockets, and only turned his head back a little.

"Sasuke, you bastard!!" I spoke up. "Our teammate is missing and you're just going off to…to go train?!"

Before he could reply, Sukai sneered and began a rant.

"Oh, yeah, 'I'm going to go train off on my own cuz I'm really bad, and my parents got killed by my brother, boo fucking hoo!'"

"At least I didn't kill them myself." He let out calmly.

…

Oh, teme…How you go too far…

And there… over by Kakashi, the redheaded girl who looks utterly traumatized, is why we never speak of the incident. The look on her face—yes, that one, the one of complete horror and despair—is enough to make you sob yourself to sleep.

"Sukai-chan…"

"Okaa-san…" her pale fingered entwined her hair.

Kakashi glared at Sasuke as he smirked and left.

"Oto…san?"

"Sukai." Tsunade piped up.

Oh Lord…

"Shizune…please escort Gyasun-san out."

"Hai, Hokage-sama…Come along, dear…"

As I watched Tsunade-sama's assistant guide my on-the-verge of breaking down teammate out of the office…probably home or something…I turned back to Kakashi.

"What do we do, sensei?"

"…I think it's clear that…we need to go retrieve her…" he ran a hand through his unkempt grey hair. "…although, Sukai-chan is not going to be going with us…"

"Huh? Why sensei?"

As if I had to ask.

"…Sukai-chan's best friend," he said, putting emphasis on 'best' and 'friend,' "just left to join the man who tried to destroy us. Under this much pressure…I don't know if the seal will hold…"

…It's true.

The 3rd put a seal on Sukai-chan's ankle that held in the Enkoumei (dark flame)

Under extreme amounts of stress though…the seal might break.

"So…it'll just be me, teme, and Sakura-chan?" I said slowly.

"Sakura is staying back also…" Kakashi looked at his feet.

"Eh?"

"This is Orochimaru." He shot his eyes back up. "Let's be serious, now."

"Alright."

What? It was true…

"Just you and Sasuke, is that fine?"

"Hai."

"You set out tomorrow." Tsunade said. "Please gather your things and meet at the gates at dawn."

Kakashi stopped me as I left.

"Alert Sasuke."

"Hai."

The training grounds were always serene.

Except for now.

A certain black-haired IDIOT was leaning against a tree, aimlessly throwing kunai at a parallel trunk.

"Teme…?"

His eyes darted over to me in the signature cold glare.

If looks could kill.

Luckily, they can't. and I sat down near him.

"We have to go get Miko-senpai."

"…" Another kunai slipped from his fingers and sunk into the bark.

I was never one for being ignored, and I inevitably got frustrated

"Oi, teme! We have to—"

"I'm not going."


	13. Glow

Crap extraordinaire.

I have a feeling you'll like it though…you delusioned kook.

You and Kabuto know you love each other. Admit it. 8D

"What do you mean you're not going?!"

I swear the idiot spit in my face.

"I'm not. Going."

I tried to enunciate more…but I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't get it.

He obviously didn't.

"Sasuke-teme! What are you saying?! Of course we have to go! We can't just let her throw away everything for that one guy!!"

"…What guy?"

"…"

I stood up and started walking towards him.

"Naruto, what guy?"

"Uh…nothing. Nothing."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Huh? What, no…"

I saw him tense and back up until his back hit a tree. The same one my kunai hit a few mere minutes ago.

"Naruto…" I began. "What happened when you and Kakashi came and helped us escape?"

Kabuto slowly opened his eyes to the streaming light that had invaded his sleep. Something was off.

It was his room.

White ceiling, gray walls, it was what he woke up to every morning. And that wasn't what was different. What was different was the curly brown-haired kunoichi with her head on her crossed arms on the side of his bed.

He blinked for a couple seconds.

'_How did she find us? Why am I still alive? What the hell is going on? Why is she—'_

_Chyu._

She let out a small snort and kept her steady breathing. Her face was so…calm. The inner peace in a person really did come out during sleep.

He grimaced at his inner weakness and carefully got out of bed. He'd ask Orochimaru-sama about this. She had gotten into their lair...this was true, so she must have been good with infiltration. She had a very good navigation ability if she'd found them again…

The corridor to Orochimaru's…well, office isn't really a proper calling for it, is it? Was just down the hall, to the left.

The door creaked open slightly.

"Lord Orochimaru…We have a…problem."

"…You're kidding."

"No, no, teme!! I swear I'm not!"

I fell back on my elbows. Miko and… Orochimaru's assistant? Wha…

I blinked a little and regained my composure. "That's why?!" A furious nod. "…Does Sukai know?!"

"I don't think she'd be able to handle it…"

I nodded. "That's true…"

I felt his stare at me. He cocked his head to the side and crossed his arms.

"You kinda…went too far back in the Godaime's office…"

"Really? I don't think I did."

"Sasuke."

"…"

"Why won't you go, teme?"

"…It's…nothing. When do we leave?" I lied.

Liar.

"F-Five o' clock…tomorrow…"

"Hm…"Orochimaru looked up in the dark room at his grey-haired apprentice. "She came willingly?"

"Hai, Oro-sama, K."

He leaned back into his chair, obviously deep in thought. "This might prove to be useful…" he looked up. "She's asleep, you say?"

"Hai."

Orochimaru gave a quick glance to the burning torches on the stone wall. "Wake her up."

"Hai…" Kabuto agreed willingly. He had some questions to ask the girl himself.

He walked into the room and flicked on the lights.

"Eh...wha...?"

Her heavy eyelids slid across her eyes.

God, she looked so cute.

He shook these thoughts from his head and walked over to her.

"Miko."

"Kabuto?"

He crouched down to her level. He was, after all, 19 years older than her, not to mention she was kneeling on the side of his bed. "What are you doing here?"

_Shit._

She really should have seen this coming. What was she thinking, anyway?! Well…Gai always said to be truthful…or maybe it was youthful…it was hard to tell anymore.

"I came to…see…you…again…? Hm. That sounded gayer than I expected." She slightly cursed herself for sounding so Sakura-like.

Kabuto looked at her puzzled, and smirked at the way she was getting all flustered.

Maybe that's why he kissed her in the first place.

He slowly took her chin in his hand.

"You're cute, you know that?"

Their noses brushed together.

"Kabu…to?"

"Kakashi-sensei…"

He mask-clad ninja looked up from the hokage tower's balcony. He loved just peering down at it. It looked so serene…Calm waters run deep. And Konoha had some vicious undertows.

He turned around a moment and turned back with his elbows crossed on the ledge. "What is it, Sukai-chan?"

"…I want to go."

"Sukai…"

"Kakashi-sensei. I can't stay here. I'll go insane! I broke down 4 WALLS IN MY HOUSE. Four!! You know how I get destructive when I'm angry! I don't know what I'll do if I don't…"

…

"Sukai." He turned around completely this time. "I understand what you're saying…I really do…but the Enkoumei…"

"What do you think I've been going through all that counseling for, sensei? I can control it! I promise…"

He stared at her under the dark blue sky. "That promise sounds empty."

"Kakashi. I'm going. I don't really care what you say anymore." She turned away. "I asked nicely. I care about Miko too much to just let her go."

He stared at her back as she leaved with her hands in her pockets.

The sound of her feet stopped at the entrance off the mid-air platform. "Something happened while me and Sasuke were with Orochimaru…before you got us, didn't it?"

…

"…Sukai."

"You should tell me now…Really…So I at least know why." She glanced over her shoulder and pulled a stray curl that had fallen into her face. "So what is it, Kaka-sensei? What happened?"

Kakashi was slightly irritated by this defiance. But nonetheless he stayed silent.

"…I'll find out myself." She took her hands out of her pockets and kept on.

He didn't know if he was imagining things or not…but he swore he saw her hand glow orange for a moment.


	14. Discovered

Chapter 14

This one has a MERCILESS cliffhanger. Sryk.

(The only reason I'm not changing Chapter 13's title is because it's so hilarious…XD)

---PAGEBREAK PLZ—

Oh yeah, and if you care, I'm going to TRY to make this all in Sasuke's perspective just for you. Except for the scenes with you and Kabu-kun. : 3

--

--

--

"Teme!" Naruto grinned at me and waved his arm high above his head as I walked over to the village gate, where Kakashi was waiting for us. Looks like he'd actually gotten there on time. Of course, this was Morohomiki, quite possibly one of Konoha's top shinobi. It would be much better if she was with us then against us. It was only natural our 'sensei' cared about this mission more than any others he makes us wait around for…hours…

I grimaced and kept walking with my hands in my pockets. Naruto looked considerably tired, his hair was a messy array of spikes. As for me, it's not like I sleep much anyway. Waste of time.

Kakashi-sensei looked like he was looking around for…something. I'm not sure what, but he seemed nervous out of his pants. Heh.

It seemed to have hit me when I heard a very loud yawn from behind me. Freaking…

"Morning, team." Sukai walked by me slightly bumping me out of the way. It might have been from lack of sleep, or purposeful. I'm guessing the latter.

"Sukai-chan? What are you doing here, 'tebayo?" Naruto gaped at her as if she'd grown wings. She simply scratched her head.

"You guys didn't think I'd let you have all the fun? Kakashi-sensei was kind enough to let me go."

Great.

Simply…amazing.

----

----

"You do realize what this will mean…right?"

She turned her head slightly to look at him and turned back to face the front of the couch, with her feet oh-so-kindly placed on the coffee table. "You act like I'm stupid or something. Of course I do."

Kabuto rubbed his temple. "You obviously are stupid I f you just threw away everything you've ever worked for."

'_For me.'_ His mind helpfully added.

Her arm slid off the back of the couch and turned to glare at him. "Stupid? Me?! Konoha only let me—and Naruto and Sukai, also—live, or stay, just because they could use us. For anything. Enemy attack? Call for the trio of outcasts. Akatsuki? Let one of their "special powers" take care of it. And what did we get?" she turned her head back to stare at the empty wall. "Nothing. Not even respect. We were feared. Naruto and Sukai grew to accept it, thrive off of it, convert it to their happiness, but it was never good enough for me." Her eyes traveled down to her lap. "I've been thinking about this for a while…I've only just now acted on it." Her eyes met his again. "I'm sure this is right."

Kabuto sat down next to her elbows on his knees and sighed. "You're friends will try to take you back, you know."

"Yup."

"…Which is why we need to leave as soon as possible."

--

--

"I honestly don't know why you change you're wardrobe so much, Sukai-chan."

"Hey! I like purple and red. And anyway, we should be wearing DARK clothes, Naruto!"

"Hey!!"

…How did I get stuck with these morons?

"Sasuke-teme, are you sure we're going the right way?"

We stopped on a nearby branch and took in our surroundings. Kakashi had left marks when we left last time…It was all a matter of finding them.

Like breadcrumbs.

I turned my head and stared at the obnoxious blonde blankly before pointing to a slashed tree.

"I'm pretty sure, yeah."

"Freaking…bastard." Sukai rolled her eyes and groaned.

My eyes automatically narrowed. "You're not even supposed to be here, if I remember correctly, Sukai-_chan._"

"'-chan' is reserved for Miko, Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura," she counted off her fingers. "Everyone but you, basically."

"I'm flattered, really."

"Will you two stop bickering? This is important, 'tebayo!" Naruto hit Sukai—who just happened to be closest to him—on the shoulder, receiving a glare.

"You're right, Naruto. This is it, the 'über mission' if you will." She grinned.

"Come on. We can't waste time."

"Yeah, yeah, we're coming."

--

--

"What do you mean leave'?" Miko quirked an eyebrow and stood up.

Kabuto crossed his arms. "We-ell, if you found us again, we're obviously not as hidden as we thought."

She scoffed. "What, because_ I _found you? That doesn't mean anything. I'm smart. The fact I had to look around for as long as I did means you're quite sneaky actually." She smiled and tapped her headband.

"You're certainly cocky for someone so stupid…" he said softly closing his eyes.

Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Who the hell are you calling stupid?!"

"You, obviously. Dur? Stupid."

"YARU KA?!"

"…"

Miko stood for a second before blushing and crossing her arms.

"Pervert…" Her eyes darted away.

--

--

"I'm so tired!! Dattebayo!!" Naruto groaned and plopped down on the grass in the area we decided to rest in. We'd been traveling for almost 16 hours straight. We were close to exhaustion.

"Oy," Sukai called to me. "Throwme a shrimp." She was referring to the ramen we'd packed.

Naturally.

"Toss me a beef, teme."

Naruto: Beef Instant Ramen. $0.49

Sukai: Shrimp Instant Ramen: $0.49

Chucking the block of noodles at her head: priceless.

Sukai rubbed her head and mumbled. "Fucking emo…shit."

_Bloop._

"Remember to boil it till it's brown."

"I know I know. Jeez."

Watching them stare at the pot like little children was almost….nauseating. They're so immature.

"Order up!!" Naruto skillfully grabbed a pair of long chopsticks and dropped the noodles into his and Sukai's bowls.

"Itadakimasu! Sasuke, aren't you eating anything?" Naruto inquired with noodles still hanging out of his mouth.

I reluctantly grabbed a bowl.

"Yeah, I guess."

I hate ramen.

--

--

"You…seriously didn't bring any other clothes?"

She tugged on the hem of her maroon shirt and pouted. "It…It was almost morning! I was lucky to even get out of the village when I did…"

Yakushi's eyes traveled down her body which made her a tad uncomfortable.

"I guess you look about Tayuya's size…"

After fetching some clothes from Tayuya (a purple t-shirt and white short shorts) she let herself fall onto the common room's sofa and instantly sunk into it.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Sleeping. Kabuto, are you following me, or what?"

He gave a sort of, 'urnotfunnyk' look at her, not that she could see, since her face was buried in the pillow, and sighed. "Orochimaru made you my responsibility…again." He said, referring to how he trained her last time as well.

"…"

"And anyway. You can't sleep there." She lifted her face from the pillow and stared at him.

"What do you mean?! Where else am I going to sleep?" she looked at him with her face twisted in confusion. "I thought all the rooms in here were full?"

"They are."

"…so? Why can't I sleep on the couch?" she propped herself up on her fists and wiped her eye clear of any sleep she was about to get.

"We don't…know if you're here spying or if you actually want to….join us." He crossed his arms and let his head fall to the side. "Someone needs to keep tabs on you until we trust you…Of course, that means that you'll have to share a room with someone." He began pacing, and she could see his eye twinge a little. "There is only one bed a room, so not only will you have to stay with someone, you'll have to sleep with them. Tayuya's the only girl here, but sleeping in the same bed as her would be suicide." He stopped suddenly and turned to her with a deadpan expression. "Orochimaru-sama has made you my responsibility." He repeated.

She stood up and blinked. Could he mean…?

"My room's first on the right."

--

--

"We've been circling around here 3 DAYS, Sasuke! Where the hell are we?!"

"Sukai, you need to stop yelling at teme, kthx? He's trying his best."

"Will both of you _shut up_!?" I snarled. If you knew me, you'd know that it would have to take a lot to get me this frustrated. Well, this was about it.

We'd been traveling for 3 days now. And I was with THEM. Idiots.

"Wait! Look up there!"

_Bingo._

--

--

The last couple days have been…odd, to say the least. Orochimaru trusted Miko quickly, and allowed her to sleep on the couch.

Of course, she didn't.

Hehe.

I'm assuming, that you know what this means, unless you're utterly brainless.

I don't need to get into details, but I'll tell you this.

We decided not to move.

Some very "interesting" events happened in the 3 nights we shared sleeping quarters.

And I'm the happiest I've been in a really long time, actually.

It's creepy. I've never been one to sleep. I got up early. So when I wake up, and she happens to be draped over my chest, what am I supposed to do? Wake her up? No. I just... watch her. Creepy as hell. I even scare myself sometimes.

Her almond eyes slowly opened a looked up at me.

"Mm. Morning." She said stretching and smiling.

Before I could even utter anything back, Kimimaro threw open the door.

"Jeez, can you knock?" Miko sneered.

"We've got bigger problems. Get outside now."

--

--

"We're NOT leaving without Miko." Sukai pointed a finger at him and stomped her foot on the ground.

"I must say, you three have impressed me." The snake lord said clapping his hands slowly for the retards. "It won't be enough. 3 of you against 6…plus a Sannin? Did you think this through?" he asked, not that it sounded like a question. Naruto was already doing hand signs.

"Kage Bushin no Justu!"

….Dobe.

Roughly ten clones appeared and charged Orochimaru. Well, way to break the ice, Naruto.

It didn't take much to simply bat them away, causing them to disappear into a puff of smoke.

Looks like it's time to whip out the Chidori.

"Stop!"

All three of us froze.

"M-miko?" Naruto turned around to see our ex-comrade with a pained look on his face.

If I cared, I probably would have examined Sukai's face. But I don't, and I'm pretty sure I already knew the gist of it.

"Senpai, what are you doing?! Have you lost your mind!?"

Her voice had some odd relief in it. Just seeing her again must have taken some of the pressure off.

"…It's none of your business. Leave now."

Naruto gritted his teeth and took a step forward. "'None of our business?!'

None of OUR business?! You just go and join this bitch and leave us worried sick about you? And you have the nerve to tell us we have nothing to do with it?! I thought you were smarter than that, senpai! I thought you had a good enough head on your shoulders to not throw away your whole life for a GUY. As if Kabuto cares about you more than—"

"Naruto!" I yelled.

Too late.

"…"

Sukai stood behind us with an unreadable face. It was blank, but it had an oh-so-subtle hint of insanity in her eyes.

I chose to ignore it.

The brown haired kunoichi I used to consider an ally closed her eyes and sighed.

"You…don't…get it."

"Miko-senpai!!" Naruto yelled once again. "What are you thinking?! You're acting like Kaiome-san—"

Before any of us knew what was going on, Miko was holding Naruto up by the collar with a kunai at his throat.

"Don't…talk…about…my sister." She snarled.

A scream.

No.

A scream couldn't even to begin to describe it.

It was a shriek. It was blood-curdling, make- your- blood- turn- cold kind of scream.

Our heads whipped around to behind us where we saw a terrifying sight.

Sukai-chan was staring, more gaping, with an expression of concentrated fear and hysteria at her arms…

Which were set ablaze with flames.


	15. Sacrifice

Chapter 15

--

Eh…Age is messed up.

--took like an hour figuring out age separation--

It was confusing to write. XD

--

"Miko-onee-san?" The young doe-eyed Kaiome Morohomiki looked at her older sister. "What are you doing?"

The eldest of the Morohomiki clan looked up and smiled widely. "Nothing much, dear Kai-chan."

Kaiome, age 11, admired her older sister to an extent that seemed crazy.

She looked back down from in front of the clan household. The tapestries with their clan symbol blew in the wind. It was another beautiful spring day with no clouds.

"Just drawing in the dust…" she spoke quietly to herself as her younger sister sat next to her on the porch that surrounded the manner, spreading the dust around with her finger.

The Morohomiki clan was at a large status in Konoha. It stretched very far across the Leaf. Maybe it was the large family of 12, or maybe it was their expertise in medicine. Either way, they were admired by all. Kaiome stared idly at her older sister practicing katakana in the earth. They were rather close, being the youngest of females, and closest in birth.

"Eto…" Kaiome murmured, breaking her gaze from her sister's wandering finger and coking her head to the side. "Iruka-sensei wants me to develop my healing skills…" she began, tightening her grip on the ledge where they were sitting. "Will you help me? You know…since…" she looked away with a red tint in her cheeks. "…you're actually passing…"

The eldest could hear a hint of the sour grapes in her tone, but chose to ignore it. She'd always been exceptional in school, hence why she was already excused from it. She always saw the academy as an opportunity to get stronger and more prepared when the day finally came, so, she stayed around the estate, practicing jutsus, aim, chakra control…almost everything. She also stayed at the academy until her class graduated. She needed the companionship!

They didn't call her a prodigy for nothing.

Kaiome took the silence as a bad sign, and chose to elaborate whilst looking at her lap.

"If I want to graduate in the next year, I have to get better, right? I'm not too worried though. That girl Sukai from my class doesn't seem too bright…she never pays attention…"

"Sukai?" Miko looked up. "That's your little friend, right? The new girl in class?"

"Yeah. Iruka-sensei said you should help me…since you were his favorite and all." She said with a playful tone. "So will you?"

"Sure. Let me just get my things…have you learned about summoning scrolls yet?"

"Really?! Thanks, nee-san! You're the greatest!!" she giggled and pumped her fist in the air. "Let's get started!! Maybe I can even impress Sasuke-kun!!"

"Who?"

--

--

The next few years passed. Miko got assigned her team…although they were a couple years younger than her…in Kaiome's class. That was a drag… She'd become very well acquainted with Sukai. It was nice having someone else who knew what it was like to be rejected. Turns out they were very similar. They also

She had been assigned to team Gai. There was a girl with two buns, who happily introduced herself as TenTen, a boy with long brown hair and blank eyes…whom she didn't really care about…and a boy who almost instantly bounded up and grinned. "You're Morohomiki, right?" he said sticking out his hand to shake.

She hesitated, and took it, with a meek "…Yeah," and a nervous chuckle.

"I'm Rock Lee. Lee for short though! Haha! You're youthful. I like you already!"

"…"

_Great. The freak team._

_--_

_--_

Miko Morohomiki scratched her head and waved goodbye to her friend.

"We're still on for that sleepover with the three of us tomorrow? I love you're house! It's so cool!" Sukai laughed and ran in the direction of where the sun was setting.

"You bet, you crazy thing, you!!" she chuckled and yelled after her.

With a sigh, she tugged at her backpack straps around her shoulders. She'd wanted to teach Kaiome some medical jutsus she'd picked up on. The golden sunset shone on the estate's wooden entrance gate like a beam. The wind chimes from their recent new year's celebration were still hanging. They were too lovely to take down… she thought to herself as she swung open the creaky gate and walked through the courtyard. The Japanese Maples were in bloom…the red leaves were her favorite part of spring. They matched her trademark uniform. The whole front courtyard was a canopy of weeping willows and blossom trees. She loved them as much at the stone path. IT was so...like a rainforest. The sakura trees were…not as welcome. Kaiome liked them, but they reminded her too much of the annoying pink-haired Sasuke-fanatic. But, the green leaves sprouting from the branches were moving to her, somehow. Like the start of a new adventure. Cheesy, she told herself so—but so true.

"KAI~! Get your lazy but out here!! I got some stuff to teach you!!" she slid off her sandals and walked further in the house, with her bare feet beating against the bare floor rhythmatically. The house seemed quiet…much more so than she was used to…was…no one here?

Suddenly, she heard the door slide open quickly.

She reflexively pulled shuriken out of her bag, but there was no need. She saw it was her older brother. "Miko! You've got to come quick…it's…it's dad!" he said between pants.

"What?!" she ran out and followed him to the Konoha hospital without even putting her shoes on. It earned her some cuts on her feet, but she couldn't really feel them in the moment of panic.

_Something went wrong on his mission! Oh my gosh! What if he's badly hurt?!_

Before she knew it, they were in front of the tall white and mint green building.

The threw open the door and rushed in. The receptionist said something, but she couldn't catch it, nor did she care as her vision blurred at how fast she was sprinting. She followed the older sibling in front of her to the room, where her mother, sisters, brothers, and Kaiome were gathered around a bed.  
"Ka-san…" she put her hand on her back and noted the wetness in her eyes.

"Honey, Honey, please hang in there! You have to!" the tears flowed over her cheeks now, as she grabbed his hand and lowered her head, sobbing. Miko whipped her head around to Kaiome. "What happened?!"

…

"Kaiome!" she said darting across the room and grabbing her by the shoulders. "Kaiome! What happened?!"

Kaiome's face was cast downwards. "It was…his mission…he was ambushed by some…" she gulped and tried to hold back inevitable tears. "…rogues of the mist." She could feel the sobs she was choking back and turned to the doctor in the room with them she'd failed to notice until now. A male. Tall, brown hair. Sympathetic look. Not a good sign.

"We…did everything we could do. It's not…" he cleared his throat. "It doesn't look good…I'm so sorry." Miko cringed and pushed through her family members to her dad's bedside. "Dad? Dad!"

His eyes slowly slid open and grabbed her hand. "Miko…I'm so happy to see you…I wanted to see you…one last time."

"Don't talk like that, dad! You're going to be fine. We're going to go home, have you rest up and resume our lives again."

He smiled and turned to the brother who led her here. "Son…you're the man of the house now. Take good care of your mother and sisters…nn."

She gasped. "Dad, don't you die on me! Don't you fucking die on me!!"

"W-watch…your…mouth."

Sobs erupted from room 311.

--

--

Our family was never quite the same again… Sukai and Naruto helped me through it…as did Gai-sensei. They really did come through for me. Kaiome…wasn't as lucky as I was. She didn't have as good of friends…and when she met Haru... she latched onto him to ease the pain. I tried to help her so often…but she would never listen. Ever.

Haru was from the village hidden in the rocks. He delivered "goods and items" here…I'm not sure on the details, but they somehow fell into what they called "love". Peh. What a pittance. More like aimless slutting around.

It sent shivers down my spine to know my little sister was doing…THAT.

It wasn't until later until we found out he was a criminal on the run. I knew it…but I didn't trust my instincts.

It was the note.

The note she left told me everything I needed to know.

Miko-nee-san.—

I've joined Haru. I know you don't understand. And I expect you to look for me. But you won't find us. I'll tell you that now. I'm sorry.

I love you.

Please forgive me,

Kaiome

I never saw her again.


	16. Senses

**Beware of epic FAIL.**

holycrapshaunasmysteryguyrevealedwhowillitbereadtofindoutafterthismessages

POWERED BY DR. KUNAI ENERGY DRINK.

(I cannot believe you made me put SasuSuka in here. I'm speechless.)

Suggested Listening: Hysteria -- Muse

* * *

"Sukai!!"  
The young chuunin's kekkei genkai was creeping up her arms at a rapid pace and had consumed most of her torso. Orochimaru's eyes danced in corrupt merriment while those from Konoha with proper knowledge about what was happening critically considered getting as far away as possible. The ones from team 7 wondered if this could be helped in any way. Their frantic thoughts and panic were interrupted by a blur of white light mixed with olive green and navy blue. Before we could comprehend what was happening the glow of vibrant orange and dark purple was gone, and the seal on Sukai's ankle was contained once again.

Sasuke and Naruto ogled flabbergasted at the middle-aged grey haired jounin's hand pulled away from currently knocked over redhead's foot and stood up slowly. "I see I made it in time."

"Kakashi-sensei." Miko stated rather shamefully. She really didn't want her friends to see her again… after leaving the village, let alone her teacher, who'd practically raised her after the passing of her father.

Kakashi smirked under his mask, breathing heavily and wiped sweat from his brow. "Miko." He greeted with a nod. "Good to see you're doing well." The cocoa skinned ninja's eyes traveled to her normally jubilant best friend, who was currently fighting to stay conscious.

"I assume you know why we're here." The elder Konoha shinobi glared pointedly at his former student with his arms folded over his chest, still looking threatening in an eerie way.

Miko sighed and pulled a lock of curly brown hair to her nose and inhaled deeply. "I can only imagine."

"You're here for Miko-channnn? Oh my, I wish I knew you were coming so I could make usss some tea…It's not often I have guests, you know." Orochimaru licked his lips and smiled devilishly, clasping his hands together. "I seem to have forgotten the party favors. Pity you have to leave empty-handed…" To this Kakashi clicked his tongue.

"I've got my eye on something that might suffice." Miko paled. 'Way to sound like a perv, sensei…'

Sasuke ruled this the perfect time to pipe in. "We just want Morohomiki, you can keep your life, and your abandoned warehouse."

"Abandoned couldn't have been a better word, actually. We've cleared out for your visit, I just thought I'd drop by to say hello is all. You'll find that that," the snake lord pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, "would be quite empty." He turned to his brunette apprentice and growled. "Take care of them."

To team seven's dismay, he made a handsign, and was gone. To whatever knew location the sound nin were using.

"Fuck." Naruto bit breathlessly. "He got away…" his head hung low in defeat. "We couldn't stop him."  
Miko threw his head back and laughed hysterically, causing her brown wound-tight curls to bounced gleefully. "Y-You actually thought….thought you could win this?!" she was clutching her sides and cackling on the border of insanity. "Th-That's…SO. RICH!!! AHA!!!" she wiped a tear from her chestnut orbs as her former team mates became more uncomfortable, while Naruto became more infuriated. Her face twisted into a melancholy frown. Some bronze colored chakra formed in her hand and she cast her eyes downward.

"I…I'm sorry."

An equally shaky laugh as the previous emitted from behind Sasuke and Naruto, though much quieter.

"mm…Miko-sempai plans on killing us? Hehe~" an uncharacteristic giggle ripped from her throat.

Sukai unsteadily pushed herself off the ground and lurched forward from a buckling knee for a moment, before bending her knees in what could be confused as a battle stance for stability. Her arms fell limply at her sides, and she swayed side to side slightly in her slight crouch. A ginger lock was draped over her left eye, but she was too pre-occupied to brush it away.

"Miko, I—un…" she swallowed hard before her legs gave way and she collapsed onto her knees.

Sasuke gently caught her and called her an idiot for trying to move.

Naruto grumbled, he'd stayed silent for too long. "Sempai! We're your FRIENDS. We love you! We care enough to travel through God knows where for days to find you and bring you back! Look what you've done to us! To Sukai! I though-"

"Shut. Up." Miko let out darkly. She felt a lump in her throat and somehow felt her chest melting. Her fists clenched, and her shoulders tensed.

"No! What joy do you find out of causing havoc?! Sempai, we've always known you had a hard life. But you stayed good when so many others turned sour. That's why we all looked up to you so much…" the hyperactive blonde's voice trailed off.

"…I'm so sorry to ruin your expectations." She scoffed.

"You haven't." Kakashi started with his hands casually tucked around each other. "I've known you since you were 3, and I know you well enough to know that you don't want to be a part of this, Miko. You belong in Konoha. You belong with us."

Her expression softened ever-so-slightly.

"Besides," the team leader started with a chuckle, "Who will Jiraiya and I have our book clubs with?"

Despite her violent attempts, she couldn't resist the tugging on the corners of her lips.

The next thing shocked all of them. Miko laughed.

She let out a pure, melodic, harmonious laugh.

Even Sukai pushed away from her weighted support on Sasuke and smiled pathetically. She felt her heart almost explode of joy, before her vision became fuzzy and dark around the edges and she promptly went limp.

Naruto punched the air before tackle hugging Miko and shouting about 'the Miko we love and know'. She laughed warmly and pushed him off. "Stop! You're embarrassing me!"

Kakashi smiled for only a moment before turning serious. "We need to head back now, before Orochimaru comes back."

Miko stopped mid-laugh, perked up and negative emotions came flooding back into her mind.

"You guys…I'm so sorry!! I cause so much trouble! How am I—"

Kakashi put up a hand to stop her. "Tut, it's all in the past. What's done is done. Our priority right now is getting Sukai to a hospital." He said folding his arm back over his abdomen. "Her body can't handle this kind of stress. No matter how short the enkoumei lasts, we can't risk her dying of exhaustion."

Miko nodded, somehow hoping she would be forgiven so kindly by the Godaime. Sasuke eased Sukai's limp body over his shoulder, and they set off back to Konoha.

**

* * *

**

...

'**Thought it sucked. XD**


	17. Day Out

BEWARE THE DREADED FILLER CHAPTER

LOL. Not really. Just character/relationship development.

**Suggested Listening: Rainbow Veins - Owl City**

**

* * *

**

"Is she up yet?" Miko breathed out heavily doubled over on the white tile hallway and clawing at the sides of her head, fingers tangling her hair. She'd just run for 12 hours as punishment appointed by the Godaime. She was truly remorseful for her 'mental breakdown' as she had so coolly put it at the Hokage's desk, but retribution was only natural for such a despicable act of treason. Seeing as she had a history with Tsunade as her mentor and family friend, she supposed she got off easy. A couple glares from a merchant here or some un-named ninja there on her way to the hospital, but they whizzed past her running feet quickly and paid them no mind. She'd gotten used to ignoring sour glances a while ago.

Naruto looked over at his once again close friend and unfolded his arms, grinning. The Konoha urgent care center smelled like medicine and death, but nothing could really sour the hyperactive blonde's mood right now. The mission was a success, and Miko-sempai was back.

"Nah, they say she should wake up in the next day or maybe tonight, if we're lucky." Miko scratched the back of her head. Shizune and the rest of the staff had purposefully put Sukai into a mild coma to replenish all of her chakra points and to help her energy flood back faster. To the untrained eye it would appear as if she were just sleeping.

"Well!" the curly-haired kunoichi stretched her arms above her head and smiled. "No use waiting around here for her to come to, eh?"

"Yep! I'm hungry."

"Me too."  
"Ichiraku?"  
"You bet."

* * *

"Haha! Miko! Omigosh, STOP." Naruto sputtered out between choking on his pork ramen. They'd stayed in the humble ramen shop reminiscing and laughing for about an hour after they'd finished their ramen. Well, Miko, at least. Naruto was currently dying of laughter on his 9th bowl.

"It's so true though!" She wiped a tear from her eye as they talked about their past academy days. "An-And then Sasuke came in and was all like 'WTF,' you know?!" Another round of bursting giggles and hands hitting the countertop rang through the near empty stall.

The ramen chef eyed them wearily and flipped through an old magazine with his chin propped up on his hand. _'I don't get paid enough for this…'_

Being young out on this bright beautiful day was a blessing, surely. Laughing at memories with your best friend makes it even better.

After the rampant chortling died down, the composed themselves and tried to represent Konoha shinobi with honor.

They failed.

"Speaking of which, where is Sasuke anyway?" Naruto asked, face still shining with humor.

Miko let out a short cackle. "I don't know! Probably running from fangirls."

"That's always a possibility!"

Naruto drained his bowl of remaining broth and wiped his mouth. "Well, I'm stuffed."  
"Finally? Gosh, you haven't even made it to 12 helpings, Naruto-kun." Miko said rolling her eyes and taking a sip of her piss water—er…tea.

"That's mean!"

"Ahaha. Come on, the day's still not over. We should go do something else. How's window shopping sound?" Miko raised an eyebrow and waited for an answer.

"Hell yes, please. Walking the streets is always fun." Naruto grinned, stood up from his stool and reached for his wallet before Miko grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"No, no. Let me take care of this, yeah? It's the least I can do for everything." She let go of his shoulder to get her own money, but Naruto wasn't giving up that easily.

"Nuh-uh. Come on, sempai! I'll pay, alright?"

"No, I don't mind." She continued counting out a couple bills.

"But sempaiiii" he whined.

Miko face-palmed and quickly thought of a solution that could keep both of their chivalrous behavior in tact. "How 'bout…I pay for your meal, you pay for mine?"

"Oh, okay, I guess so….WAIT! I had like 5 times as much as you!"  
"Nine." The brunette helpfully added.

"That's not fair!"

Miko slammed the money on the counter. "BOII, I DUN TOLD U."

"k."

* * *

"No way, Naru-chan." Miko held him back from a very questionable food stall. She'd seen squid, and she'd seen fish. That was ENOUGH.

The manic blonde huffed and crossed his arms childishly. "I'm surprised Sukai hasn't shoved sashimi down your throat yet." The teen female grumbled something about raw fish and zombies before Naruto blatantly ignored her and spotted something, or rather someone more relevant to his interest.

"Hey, look, sempai! It's Ino!"  
"Oh…great." But prior to the time could stop him, cover his mouth, or otherwise, Naruto had already shouted out to her. Miko should have REMEMBERED that this was near the flower shop pig-girl worked at. She reluctantly followed her impulsive friend to the preppy girl clad in purple walking down the dirt road paved with green-roofed shops. 'How appropriate…' Miko thought as she eyed the humongous and colorful bouquet in her arms. Naruto spared no pleasantries.

"Who're the flowers for, Ino?" at this, Ino shifted the gorgeous arrangement of vegetation in her arms uneasily.

"Um, actually, Choji has a really difficult mission tomorrow, and I just wanted to tell him good luck…" her cheeks were flushed as pink as…ooh! That rose there on the right. How's THAT for a simile? Ino politely excused herself from the conversation and hurried on by, as Miko and Naruto stared after her with perplexed expressions on their faces.

"Does Ino…"

"Probably."

"Awww. That's adorable." Miko beamed.

"I thought she insulted him a lot." Naruto said with the same face. Miko chuckled.

"Oh, Naruto-kun. You don't get it. Girls insult guys when they like them!!" Miko paused. "Even if Ino is really bad at making it seem like joking around." She added a grimace.

"Oh, I guess I understand." Naruto said. "…Wait! If that's true, does that mean Tsunade is hot for Orochimaru?!"

They stared at each other blankly for a second before cracking up.

"OH GOD, COULD YOU IMAGINE?!" Miko howled. They laughed and kept walking down the festive street of goodie shops.

Naruto piped in that he'd always wanted to look at the clouds one day but he never found the time, like Shikamaru did. Hence, they rushed over to a nearby field just beyond the bazaar.

"Race ya." Miko let out before breaking out into a full sprint.

"HEY!" Naruto groaned and tried his best, but with a head start and additional speed training, honestly, who could beat the running champ? I'll tell you who: Definitely not Naruto.

They both plopped down on the grass and tried to catch their breath. Naruto hunched over and rested his elbows on his knees and turned his head upwards. It was a truly stunning day. The weather was perfect, the sky was crisp crystal blue, and there were just enough clouds to complete the kindergarten-crayon-art feel.

"That one kind of looks like Alien." The curly haired girl leaned over and pointed out to her chum next to her. "Alien rules, man."

"What? No way! Predator could kick the crap out of that little thing."

"Pfft! Screw that!"

* * *

The sun had started to set, and Miko and Naruto decided it was about time to get home. The sky was an exquisite burst of purple and orange, as they walked down the hill they raced up a couple hours before, past the shops, and into the village, where the Morohomiki clanhouse resided, and where Naruto's apartment lived a few blocks away. Yeah, his apartment was a living thing. Deal with it. All that mold and and the dirty dishes were probably breathing on their own now, anyway.

"That was GREAT." Naruto laughed, sad the day was over.

"Yeah, you gotta just let loose a couple days of the year."

"See you later!" Naruto called as the turned their separate ways under the dark blue sky.

Miko hesitated for a second.

"…Naruto!"  
"Yeah?" he said turning around.

She gave a slight smile. "Thank you."

* * *

I hope you've seen Alien vs. Predator, or else that bit might not make sense. XD

Leave meh long reviews!!!


	18. Forgiveness

Suggested Listening: Here I Am – HIGH AND MIGHTY COLOR (If you read it right, you get to the intense choruses at the intense moments. XD)

Optional song switch friendship part: Pure—Superchic[k]

--

Sukai woke up at 3 AM. She slowly stretched herself upward into a sitting position before her throat let out an excruciating scream from the pain she felt shoot though her body. A young attractive female nurse with short brown hair, started by the screams, rushed in through the door with light footsteps to her patient and cooed to the redhead to relax and not put any more pressure than necessary on her body. Sukai's head fell back onto her pillow and let out long, labored breaths.

The nurse reached over to check her vitals. They'd sped up, but it was nothing to worry about. Heartbeat and breathing rates were naturally lower when you were asleep.

"Stay calm, hun." The nurse, who Sukai took to be an intern, spoke with an accent she couldn't place. "I'm going to go alert Tsunade-sama you're awake, and we'll getcha patched right up, darlin'." Sukai winced at the lady's back as she left. She thought she was already patched up…She couldn't really expect much more. This was the enkoumei afterall! The first time she used it she was passed out for a week.

She winced slightly. 'Still hurts as much as it did then.' After getting the initial gratefulness that she hadn't killed all her friends—and she seriously thought she was going to for a moment—a scene flashed through her mind, as well as through her entire being.

"…_As if Kabuto cares about you more than—"_

"_Naruto!"_

She shot straight up again, causing a swish of the linen sheets. The kunoichi bit back the searing pain and hung her head in her hands, silently praying it was all a dream. Just a horrible, horrible…

"Gyasun-san."

Sukai looked up to meet the light brown eyes of the Godaime, looking as if she'd just gotten up. Her hair was an array of fringes, and she had unsightly bags under her eyes.

'This is gonna be a long night.'

--

_Ding dong_

"Ngh…" Miko peeked open one of her amber orbs and groggily waited until her surroundings unblurred. She was in her room. Her nice, warm, comfortable room.

_Ding dong_

She swung her feet over the side of the bed to meet the cool wooden floor, sending shivers up her spine.

"I'm coming, you impatient bastard." She trumped down the stairs and flung open the oak door revealing…

"…Hey, Sasuke. What's up?"

With a scratch of the head, he spoke in his normally monotone voice. "Naruto sent me over her to tell you that Sukai woke up."

A grin found her way across her face. "Really?! She's okay?"

"Mhm."

"Awesome! Hang on, let me grab my coat and we can-"

"See ya." Sasuke promptly turned around and walked out of the clanhouse.

…

'Oh, now, that's just childish.'

--

The Konoha hospital has always been kinda eerie looking. It was pure white, a skyscraper of sorts, with sapphire blue windows that seem to pile up on top of each other for miles. It looked like when the village was sleeping, the entire hospital was picked up and dipped into a bucket of bleach. It was absolutely BLINDING. Miko never liked going to the hospital. It smelled like death and fear, with the creepy institutional feeling you get when you walk through the doors, when your feet hit the matted blue hard carpet, when the lady at the desk greets you, and even when she gives you your injured companion's room number. Then the fright follows you all the way up the elevator shaft, where you're forced to be with people in wheelchairs, and somehow feeling guilty that you can walk and they can't. Though, the person next to Miko right now could walk, he was just weak. Ino wheeled Choji off at the third floor and blushed at the sight of Miko, who simply gave her a thumbs up as the doors closed and she rode her way up to the fifth. She scanned her way down the hallways until she came to a, how appropriately colored, white door. It had a metallic panel in the upper center with the number "597" She traced the figures with her fingers for a brief moment before turning the handle and pushing the door open, only to walk into another white-clad room, sans the deep blue draw-curtains flung open and pulled back on each side of the window letting morning's serene white light in, distorted only by the lime color of leafy trees just outside.

"Sempai!" Miko's eyes traveled over to the source of the noise, Naruto.

He was standing by a single bed in between the two windows draped in aquamarine, inhabited by her old buddy.

"Hey, Naruto…"

(suggested music switch)

Sukai was staring out the window with lidded blue eyes, as if deep in thought.

"Hey, Sukai, Miko's here."

Naruto obviously didn't realize the fact that Sukai was ignoring Miko on purpose.

"HEY SUKAI, MIKO'S HERE." He screamed in her ear, earning him a punch to the nose. Her shoulder screamed at the discomfort, but she figured it was worth it.

"Ano, my head…" she shut her eyes and waited for the throbbing in her temples to stop. "Hey, Miko." She greeted after a while. Her eyes looked sad.

Miko stepped further into the room, her lively curls following her, as her hand extended a paper bag. "I brought you some medicine."

"Aw, score!" Sukai perked up, catching the tossed sack. "Drugs!"

The brunette eyed here with amusement in her eyes.

Sukai grinned before having the bag snatched away from her by Naruto, who had started lecturing her on drug abuse.

"You're such an idiot! Gimme!"

Miko smiled and sat down in the chair next to Sukai's bed. "How're you feeling?"  
The blue-eyed girl stopped her mindless bickering with Naruto to look up and Miko and pretend to be angry. "I can't walk yet, every time I move I feel like dying, and my best friend recently abandoned our entire village for a Michael Jackson-look-a-like. How are you?"

The older girl's expression turned somber at her friend's tone of voice.

Naruto took this opportunity to gtfo.

"I…I…IIIiiiii…"

"I, for one, thought you would have learned from Kaiome's mistake. But you're lucky." Sukai's gaze cast down to her folded hands. "We didn't get her back…She wasn't willing to come back." Her eyes returned to her silent friend, who was also looking out the window.

"Are you upset?"

"You left the whole damn place that raised you, including ME. Of course I'm upset! I didn't think you were capable of something so stupid!"

The olive skinned kunoichi took her scolding from her best friend, but drifted in and out of conversation.

"…I'm glad you're back, Mikie."

Miko turned and looked dumbstruck. "'Mikie'?" she snickered, and was promptly joined, and the two let out full-blown laughter.

--

Oh crap. I just remembered I've forgotten the SasuSuka! Darn!! –snaps fingers disappointedly-

Leave your requests for the next chapter in with your review, cap'n.


	19. In

Kabuto slammed his fist against the wall, causing a loud and sickening crack to echo throughout the hollow room,

"Dammit…" he cursed heavily under his breath. He tried to ignore the creeping familiar sense of pain slowly crawling up his forearm. He failed and felt himself wince at the new sensation abusing his nerves.

It had been two days since word of their latest member's betrayal. They were all outraged. How could they have been so stupid to trust her?! The others, including Orochimaru thought she had been sent by her village to spy—she was very good at infiltration, her records stated. But Kabuto not only didn't want to believe this, but it wasn't true.

There was something in his newfound acquaintance' eyes, when she first told him she wanted 'in'. He wasn't sure what clouded her dark honey depths, be it fear, desperation or otherwise, but it somehow told Kabuto that she wanted to be there. This was by choice.

No one had sent her here.

That meant that Miko had fallen for her stupid "friends'" tricks. Their "sweet-talk", if you will. He unintentionally gritted his teeth. They didn't care about her. They only used her. They exploit her and milk her for all the missions and defense for their pathetic little city that they could get. And then when they were done, they'd have no more need for her and dispose of her like an old rag. …It's just the way things were. The pitiful self-righteous "good" people… they were just as bad as us "evil" ones.

She had a chance here. She could thrive off of and bask in the fear she'd originally had so grown to despise, make something of herself, and give back to her so-called comrades what they had unloaded onto her:

Misery.

--

--

"No, Miko I keep _telling _you." An aggravated young kunoichi with burnt orange hair protested by hitting her hand on the counter. "You _fry it._"

Miko flipped her curls back and groaned.

"That's disgusting, Sukai-chan." She let out before tipping her mini-pot of green tea bottom-side up and taking a quick sip.

Sukai huffed at her sempai's stubbornness and turned to everyone's favorite orange pig. "What do you think, Naruto?" she asked, trying to beat Miko with strength in numbers.

The blonde's scowl deepened as he shifted around on his fire truck red stool uneasily.  
They were at Ichiraku's beige and orange festively lit food stand, yet AGAIN. It had been becoming a habit lately. Not really that anyone minded. It was fun when they weren't fighting over who flipped the bill. Miko usually paid. "You're the sempai." Sukai had put it. She stopped arguing about it and gave in to get her two immature friends from causing even more of a scene. She gets a lot of sappy and snide "I love you"s from both of them after she finally steps up. A simple 'piss off' usually keeps them quiet on the walk home.

Sakura even joined them sometimes as well, much to Miko's surprise. She'd always seen Sakura as the "I'm too good for you outcasts" kind of person. Hey, she had a good reason! That's who Sakura was.

Around Sasuke.

It was heart-wrenching. Miko _knew_ that Sakura had so much potential to be a good ninja—a good person, but she wasted all her energy and effort on Sasuke. All the girl's in this town seem to be weak. Miko briefly wondered if Sasuke even had a small part of it by distraction.

Sakura didn't join tonight, however, saying she was going to go train.

It was actually unfortunate she skipped, because her and Sukai had actually laughed together on occasion.

All Miko wanted was a team that acted mildly civil with each other.

Naruto looked over at Miko and Sukai placed next to him on similar seating. Both of them had their eyes focused on him with different expressions; Sukai's inquisitive, while Miko's somewhat bored.

They seemed to be expecting an answer. Naruto remembered the last time they'd gotten him involved in one of their foolish arguments. They made him pick a side. His body wracked with shudders at the memory and thought of a quick way out.

"I dunno. Ask the ramen chef if you care so much."

Sukai and Miko couldn't even respond before Naruto flagged down the man opposite the ramen bar from the trio, who was currently drying a colorful bowl with a dish towel. "Hey, Ichi-kun. What do you think is the best way to make ramen?"

The chef discarded his task to turn around to face his "regulars" and adjusted his bandana. He figured the sooner he answered them, the sooner they'd leave, and the sooner he could close up and go home. In addition, sociality also meant bigger tips, which the redhead and the blonde apparently didn't believe in.

He eyed them warily a moment before speaking in a semi-faux friendly tone.

"Well," he began, "I've always found that slowly evaporating the water from the pot results in maximum-"

"HA!" the boisterous brunette shot up from her seat and clapped once loudly. She put one foot up on the stool she'd just been sitting on a millisecond ago and pointed her finger in her best friend's confused face arrogantly. "In yo' FACE."

Sukai's bewildered expression faded and morphed into mock annoyance, and then she turned to Ichiraku as he turned away and started walking to the kitchen.

"YEAH, WELL YOUR RAMEN SUCKS ANYWAY!!" she screamed.  
Miko lay her head down on the counter, seated again, and buried her face in her forearms while wondering why she was friends with her.

--

--

It seemed clear what I had to do.

The sharp edge of the black metal kunai slashed through my thick grey hair with ease, as I let it fall to the grassy ground. I fingered the back of his head. My hair was loosely hanging just above the nape of my neck while my crude yet somehow alluring razor-cut bangs hung down in front of my eyes. Funny. It looked like it did when I was younger.

Orochimaru had given me a mission.

To retrieve Miko.

It seemed rather tedious if you asked me…like a sad game of back-and-forth.

With a quick flourish of my hands, a cloud of black smoke shrouded my body. When the gas dispersed, a new person stood in my place. The only thing that would make a bystander know that this was still Yakushi Kabuto was my choppy grey hair I'd just cut moments before was still on my head. My eyes weren't black anymore. They were cheek bones less high, and my chin less sculpted.

A whole new face.

I turned the corner and emerged out of the Konoha forest, right in front of the gate to the Leaf Village.

Two guards dressed in black made them blend into the night easily, I'd almost missed them. Luckily, it seemed I'd gone unspotted, and took this opportunity to hide my chakra level. I can't have anyone knowing how strong I am. I need to blend in.

I approached the gate slowly and confidently, as if I belonged to be there.

The guards became alert when they spotted me strolling up to them, probably because they weren't used to civilians wanting into Konoha this late at night. The guard on the left spoke first.

"Name," he said boredly.

I tried to hide a grimace at his tone, but decided to ignore it.

"Shinji. Shinji Misaki." I let out coolly.

"Purpose," he said just as enthusiastically while looking at his gloved hand.

"Vacation." His apathy didn't anger me quite as much the second time.

The guard on the right looked up to meet my eyes, as if that could tell if I had any ulterior motives for my trip. I must have passed the inspection, because soon the gate opened, and the stepped aside.

My low, steady footsteps traveled down the main gate quietly.

I was in.

--

--

A/N: Sorry for another short chapter, Shaunie.

Shauna: …?

It was almost as short as Rikku's shorts. But not quite.

-totally stole that line-

Oh yeah. No suggested listening. Do it yourself. Lazy.


	20. Konogashi

**Suggested Listening: Give Praise Unto Me and Celebrate My Miracles - IOSYS **

**I hope I got this up by…whenever you're reading this. =D I win!!**

**Rated M for wee-a-boo wannabe Japanese. (not rly.)**

**--**

**--**

'Great,' Naruto mumbled mentally. 'The first Konoha festival in years and I'm stuck—'

"Naruto!" before he could react, a heavy force struck him in the face, knocking him over onto the grassy terrain.

'…training.' He involuntarily glared at the dark, colorful sky that over took his vision. He could hardly feel his opponent's cocky smirk. "Hardly a fight." The dark words danced around his ears.

Nearby, a grey-haired jounin clapped his hands together and shouted to his students. "Alright! That's enough. Sasuke, Naruto, come back." He called watching his blonde student lunge into a standing position. Kakashi just continued to sit on one of the 7 tree trunks scattered near the left hand side of the forest clearing. Many generation of shinobi honing their skills in this area wasn't obvious. The cherry trees that surrounded the field in a picturesque manner were a perfect fusion of petal pink and lime green, whilst the stream a couple 20 yards away imposed on the color scheme, adding its sparkling blue. A closer, more inspecting look, however, would reveal beaten up trunks, cracked branches, and countless scratches and slices in the wood.

It was a damn microcosm.

A loud redheaded female next to aforementioned instructor groaned loudly and stretched her arms over her head, causing a green-eyed kunoichi on the stump next to her to flinch out of her daydreams…or rather, night-dreams? It was around dusk now, orange and purple paint splattered across the canvas of the sky, illuminating the field below it.

"Senseeeiiii," she whined gutturally, flopping her elbows down on her knees childishly "Is training over yet? I want to go to Kono-gashi…"

Kakashi looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "No." he said simply, and added, "You don't train enough." Sukai furrowed her eyebrows at this. "Well, could we maybe pick this up later? Like…next week? The festival hasn't been held in like, forever!"

It was true. Over the past couple of years ninja warfare had sky-rocketed. Something was always happening—it was a time of war.

But now that things had settled down, all treaties with other villages were personally being upheld, the people were celebrating. Celebrating, of course, with Kono-gashi. Kono-gashi was your average village festival; games, music, lanterns, food stands—it was all very fun. Most genin (or now chunin) had only gone once when they were little, and hadn't been to one since. The fest, however, had a twist. The odori-ha, or leaf dances. Maidens of the shrines in exquisite formal dress supposedly train for this event most of each year in preparation for the festival, except they've had about 10 years to practice this time around, due to a long hiatus. What basically makes this seemingly normal stage-dance spectacular enough to draw…hundreds of tourists each festival, is the way the nisou incorporate the leaves. The first minute is anticipation-the suspense factor. After the first minute of dramatically slow prayer dances, the nearest trees are stripped of every single leaf in a flourish of jade. The drums speed up, and the priestesses move faster, controlling the flora with immense amounts of chakra, twirling them around and through the stage, and then it stops.

And the leaves fall into the river behind the stage and drift south to God who allows their village to live on through rough times.

After the decade of hardships, this dance was supposed to be bigger than anything anyone's ever seen before.

And Naruto didn't want to miss it.

"Why isn't Miko here?!" The blonde and raven-haired ninja joined the rest of the team, with the exceptional absence of their most formidable member.

Kakashi folded his arms over his chest. "She doesn't need to train. You all do."

"Sasuke doesn't…" Sukai muttered under her breath, adjusting the bandages around her arms. It didn't matter how quietly she muttered, Sasuke hears everything.

"Parties aren't my thing." He let out smoothly, as if he'd just solved the universal equation.

"And neither is taking a day off, either, apparently." Naruto scoffed while relaxing his hands on either side of his head.

"You guys, stop it. Sasuke's a hard worker. You guys could learn a thing or two from him." She scolded before turning her admiring gaze back to the youngest Uchiha, who took a seat on the other side of Kakashi with a huff.

"Aw, Sakura-chan." Naruto hung his head, defeated. "Don't be like that."

Sukai smacked the only other kunoichi present on the back, a little too hard. "Yeah, Sakura. We're plenty mature when we need to be." Cough. "And besides." She added, picking at the bark on the stump she was sitting on between Sakura and Kakashi, "I don't need to learn anything from…that thing." Kakashi rubbed his temples while Sakura crossed her legs and pursed her lips.

"Could you both like, stop. Just for 5 minutes with that?" Sasuke's head shot up.

"I'm not doing anything."

"You're being annoying." His red haired teammate spat.

"Sukai!"

"What?!"

The jounin of Team 7 took a deep breath, which he proceeded to let out slowly. ...Well he supposed…

He suddenly smacked his hands down onto his knees and hoisted himself up with a popping of his back, wincing slightly at the knowledge that he was getting old.

"Alright. Let's go."

"WHAT?!" Sukai and Naruto both gasped and stared like children on Christmas morning. "You mean it, Kakashi?"

He furrowed his eyebrows and closed his eyes, wondering if this was the right thing to do. The temporary regret, temporarily faded, as he quickly though of a loophole.

"Yes." He said, turning his hand palm-facing up in a negotiative manner, before continuing. "But, the only reason we're going is to study the miko's chakra control."

Sasuke smirked. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Kakashi-sensei."

"NAN-DUH? Miko-sempai's going to be using chakra at the gashi? Whaaaa---"

Sukai quickly stepped in. "Not Miko-sempai, Naruto-bitch. Miko as in the shine priestesses." She rolled her eyes, and brushed some flame-kissed zig-zag curls out of her face.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Sakura said, quickly standing up and retreating to Sasuke's heels. "Let's set out!"  
"That's what I'm talking about, Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled and punched the air enthusiastically.

Sukai nodded with a close-mouthed smile playing across her lips. "Miko said she'd be there to get me some bean paste since I couldn't go. Mmm…bean paste."

"You're drooling, Su-chan."

"Wha-No I'm not! Let's just go…"

--

--

'_Ah, the mystical embodiments of twilight…_' an elder caramel skinned teenager walked across a lantern lit path, shops and old Japanese game booths sprinkled around the sides of the walks, and people scattered in every which direction. _'It's not very crowded this year…' _Miko continued her thoughts warily before veering off into the direction of Aujubaba's dumpling stand.

"One please." She smiled warmly, reaching into the deep pockets of her festivities kimono and pulling out a couple dozen yen. The old lady behind the counter nodded and went to scuffle around behind the counter, presumably molding the dough for tasty mochi. "All alone tonight, sweetheart?"

Oh, look. Awkward small-talk.

"Oh, yes." Miko smiled again, something she was quite good at, before the aged woman behind the counter stole a glance at her through almost closed eyes.

'_S-squinty…' _she sweat-dropped.

"Mm…I imagine such a pretty girl would be beating boys off with a stick." She stuck the different colored globs of sweet goo onto a pointy skewer.

That was…weird, but flattering nonetheless. Miko chuckled and wiped her eye with the back of her lavender-purple Yuna sleeves. "That's kind, ma'am but no boys have really shown any interest in me, I prefer it that way."

"Sinful," she muttered to the cutting board she was wiping with a cloth before handing the mochi stick to the girl in front of her. "Have a nice night, hon."

"Thank you." She bowed her head and scurried off towards another random booth.

"Miko-sempaiiiii~"  
"Huh?"

About 100 feet away, stood her team of shinobi. Sasuke, in a grey and black yukata (probably with his clan symbol sewn on the back), being animatedly chatted with by Sakura, sporting a sky blue mini-skirt kimono with short sleeves. On the other side of Sasuke, Sukai, in a modern poppy pink and yellow old-school, large sleeved Japanese robe, and next to her, Naruto. Who looked….pretty sharp, cleaned up. He wore his usual garb colors, orange and blue, and his hair was still a messy array of spikes, but he looked….different somehow. He looked happier.

Before Miko could even finish her observations, she realized that her friends were standing a mere 3 feet form her in a semi-circle.

"I thought you guys had—"

"Kakashi let us out early!!" Sakura quipped happily.

"Though he's off probably getting smashed with Jiraiya somewhere…" Sukai dug her pinky around in her ear and flicked off an imaginary piece of dirt. "Pinky dragged Sasuke out with us." A thumb jabbed in the two's direction.

"Hey, leave my hair out of this." Sakura narrowed her eyes at the carrot-top on the other side of the group.

"Wow, Miko, nice dress." Naruto grinned.

"It's not a dress." She growled and folded her arms over her chest. Indeed, Miko's threads were probably the most unique and mellow-looking out of the bunch. A simple cross over white robe with a short skirt, not that you could see it's little length, for right under her ribs, a long ribbon-adorned pastel violet priestess-inspired skirt piece, complemented with attachable baggy arm warmers that start just above her elbow and flow down to past her fingertips.

It belonged to her sister, Ami.

"ANYWAY!" Sukai yelled out of nowhere, making everyone stare at her strangely "Are we here to ogle Miko's awesome ass clothes that I'm totally not jealous of or are we here to play some games!!"  
Sakura perked up. "I want my fortune told!" she raised her hand and giggled.

"Ooh! Yeah, that sounds fun!" Naruto said excitedly. "Are you up for it, sempai? I don't think you are!"

Miko laughed and twisted a curl around her finger. "Actually, I wanted to go watch the candle floating. Any takers?"

Everyone looked around at each other. "Sorry sempai, I want to know what my shining future has in store." Sukai shrugged. Sakura followed suit.

"I don't care…" Sasuke sighed.

"I'll go." Naruto chimed, to the curly haired kunoichi's surprise. "Really? Awesome, man." She turned back to the remaining three. "You guys cool on your own?"

Sukai gave a foxy-toothed grin and waved her hand, as if dismissing such rubbish. "Naw, naw! You two lovebirds go have a good time."  
"Sukai-chaaan." Naruto whined, while Miko just chuckled amusedly to herself. "Sure thing."

Naruto's cheeks dusted pink ever so slightly.

--

--

"Sugoi! It says I'm going to come into contact with money. What does yours say Sasuke-kun?" the bright-eyed Haruno turned away from the red dragon statue's mouth full of scrolls to the boy next to her.

"Some Chinese proverb." He said, unraveling his own and snorting a bit.

"What about you, Sukai?...Sukai?" Sakura said, reaching to her left and snatching a piece of paper from her recently not-so-intolerable-afterall teammate's hand. Sukai grabbed for it, but Sakura read it first.

"'You will share a kiss with the love of your life tonight?'" she read aloud, befuddled. "Wow." She turned back around and gave it back to the redhead. "Pretty good one,"

Sukai laughed and put it in her pocket. "You know these things are fake you guys, come on."

--

--

"Wow…" Naruto breathed, watching tiny yellow orbs float down an otherwise cold and desolate river. "I imagined how…how this would look, but it's even better up close…"

Miko laughed and propped her hand behind her back, reclining slightly. "Yeah, it's nice, isn't it?" the two friend's faces were lit warmly by the orangey flickering glow. They'd traveled downstream to get a better view. The extra effort wasn't wasted. It was much better without so many people around.

They sat in silence under the trance of dark blue and yellow-orange (GLOW)s swimming through their line of vision.

"Miko?"

"Yeah?"

"You look pretty tonight."

Miko's previously lidded eyes snapped out of the foggy state back to normal, not entirely shocked, but definitely not unsurprised. She turned her head to see the fox-dwelling blonde sitting Indian style, with his head propped in his cheek. "I don't think people tell you that enough." He said almost wistfully, sadly.

After her shocked demeanor wore off, the corners of her lips turned upright slightly. "Thanks…That means a lot."

"I know." He said quietly, before their attention was once again stolen by the only sign of warmth near the dark river.

'_So pretty…'_ Naruto didn't even know if that was referring to the river lanterns, or his best friend sitting next to him.

--

--

"Look! Fish-catching!" Sukai squealed quite suddenly. "I want one!" Sakura laughed. "Well come on then!" she said, running ahead of the threesome…now twosome.

"…You know, she's actually tolerable, once you get to know her." Sukai said in a nurturing tone to the Uchiha prodigy next to her, catching him by surprise.

"…Yeah." He agreed, his mood being lifted by the night of fun they've been having.

"It's makes me wonder if the same holds true to you."

Okay. THAT made his mind sputter a little bit—but only slightly. He quickly regained his composure. "Maybe."

The girl next to him looked away from their friend in a slowly-approaching game booth, trying to catch a koi, and looked down and her shoes. "I think it is."

They said nothing after that for about 20 seconds, before an elderly couple stopped them under a walkway, just as they were approaching Sakura and her newly bagged fish.

"Ohh, look Jiki! What a cute couple. It must be fate, don't you agree, dear?" an old man with a long white beard in dress similar to Sasuke's smiled.

"Wh-what's fate?" she asked confused, ignoring the "couple" statement for the moment. People were subtly starting to look over, including Sakura.

The old lady let out a motherly laugh and pointed above the two, in the archway.

"…You've gotta be shitting me." -_- Sukai glared at the cherry branch hanging about their heads.

"A Tajika?" Sasuke quirked a brow.

From afar, Sakura was becoming rather hostile.

"The festival equivalent of…well, holly?"

"Oh! So you know the history!" Even more on-lookers were staring now. "The Gods pick two lucky souls that are bound to each other that walk under the tajika, but no two people have walked under it alone all night…"

"…Except us." Sukai finished, not liking the sound of this at all.

"If the two kiss under the cherry branch, they will have luck in love for the rest of their life."

Sukai's stomach just about did a triple backflip. The old lady seemed to notice. "It's tradition, dear."

The redhead winced and looked over at Sasuke, trying to ignore the sudden-sprouting mini-crowd around them. This was the village's faith, they couldn't really refuse, could they?

Sasuke must have been thinking the same thing, because he silently nodded before gently grabbing her hand and pulling her into a short, innocent, almost sweet brushing of the lips. It ended as quickly as it started, but Sukai could barely even hear the various "awww"'s of the gathered people. Her eyes were glazed over, and Sasuke removed his hand from her cheek that she didn't even know was there.

Sasuke pocketed his hands and smirked smugly, but a terrifying thought just crossed Sukai's mind.

'_Sakura saw that, didn't she?'_


	21. DO YA LYK BEAR MACE?

**Chapter 21: the number of the fangirl.**

**RUN OH SHI—**

**Suggested Listening: Untouched-The Veronicas**

**I'm not just saying that either…It seriously fits.**

**Mostly, the beginning violin.**

**--**

**--**

"I. cannot. Believe. I missed that. Oh my…" Miko's facial features turned upwards in absolute merriment, mixed with a touch of mischief. "Who needs LANTERN drifting when I could have…"  
"Would you shut up about it? Gosh, I told you about it so that if my dissected, bloody body was found deep in the woods you'd know what evidence to look for." Sukai huffed and crossed her arms; cotton kimono weren't very warming during night. "…Pink hair." She finished up the thought under her breath, earning a chuckle from her taller best friend.

"Sakura's not going to kill you." Sukai tch'd and jerked her eyes upwards—the hyperactive/frustrated version of an 'eye roll'. "You didn't see her face," she grumbled.  
"Was it livid?"  
"Absolutely. Raging."

"Ouch." The caramel skinned-brunette ran her fingers up the side of her face to brush a couple corkscrew curls out of her face. "Maybe you should buy her a fruit basket or something."

"She'd chuck the whole thing at my face." Miko raised her eyebrows at this, adjusting the butterfly hair sticks in her hair with contempt. (Which Sukai had bought her for Christmas…she didn't like them). "I still can't believe how bad you are at dodging things. You know how much trouble that got us in during missions?" she grinned jestly.

"Hey," her redheaded lower-heighted buddy snapped, "I'm slow as crap. You know that, Ms. Speedy. I'm more…close range jutsu melee attacks." She struck the air for emphasis.

"And I specialize in hand-to-hand and medical regeneration. That's why we were moved to the same team."

Sukai grinned. "Exactly."

A comfortable silence fell over the two, before Sukai spoke up.

"You know we totally missed the odori-ha. That's why were went, after all." Miko laughed out loud at this.

"I know! Naruto and I kind of lost track of time." She smiled warmly.

"Oh yeahhh…" Sukai lifted her head from the view on her shoes. "How did that go?"  
A nonchalant shrug. "Nothing interesting."

"Yeah, you guys sat together and watched the most romantic event of the festival on riverside…at dusk, and nothing happened to write home about?" Miko paused for a second, wondering if her friend would call her bluff, but let out a long sigh of relief as Sukai said, "Well, that sucks." She eased her hands behind her head and the two continued walking.

--

--

The moon was full that night.

Scratch that—the moon was fucking glowing; radiating the sky purple around the celestial hunk of rock, and then slowly fading into black around it.

Night.

Time to come out.

Kabuto slowly ran a gloved hand over his now undisguised face—having no need to conceal himself now that he was past the city wall—and looked up, continuing to keep his features void of any emotion.

The grey haired shinobi eased himself back onto his palms, shifting around on the slanted roof of a random house or building.

His obsidian eyes lidded partially in deep thought, the blue glow of the moon overtaking the landscape's entirety.

It was time to take back what was rightfully his.

--

--

The next day wasn't all exciting, to be honest. The teams of Konoha were in their respective training places, Team Gai diligently working on martial art style taijutsu, Team 10 was enveloped in drama—Ino supposedly ditched Chouji for Shika, who wanted nothing to do with her, and would rather keep his friendship in tact, while our faithful Team 7 was actually, sorta, training for once.

The head chunin of the team, along with her redheaded best friend, were by the river, washing their faces after a couple hours of vicious hand-to-hand combat. Sukai was continuing her speed training—though she hit harder than the average shinobi, her lack of speed was a whopping gape in her abilities. Miko, being a speedy Gonzales incarnate, was appointed to help her out.

Cold water doused both of their faces, erasing any signs of stress and sweat, as they both let out sighs.

Not bothering to wipe the leftover water onto non-existent towels, they just sat there a while. Miko shifted into a cross-legged sitting position, whilst Sukai just relaxes on her calves.

"So…Guess what Naruto says as soon as I freaking walk up this morning." The ginger-haired kunoichi wiped some spring water from her brow with the back of her hand.

"What?"

"He came over and did that thing, where like, you're whispering, but whispering loud enough for practically anyone who wanted to hear be able to listen in," Miko nodded, "And he's like 'Sukaiiiii! Did you really kiss teme?'" she put a hand around her mouth to emphasize Naruto's "hushed tone", causing Miko to chuckle half-heartedly.

"So Naruto knows," Miko said, closing one eye and trying not to smirk too much. This caused an exasperated groan to erupt from her teammates lips. "Everybody knows!" she cried, throwing her arms down at her side in defeat.

"Whoa, seriously?" A nod.

"On my way here, I was getting glares left and right." She swiped more water away from her cheekbone.

"Ouch." Miko twirled a mocha lock of hair around her pale freakishly bony finger. "What about Prince Hottie himself?"  
"Ew," Sukai made a face "Don't call him that." She snorted. "We're…not speaking."

"Fine, Fine." A comfortable silence over fell the two for about a minute, allowing Sukai to fill her shallow cup with water, before the elder broke the lack of sound in the air.

"Was he a good kisser?"

Sputter.

"WHAT?!"

--

--

Sakura upturned her head to gaze at the eerie bright, dark night sky. It wasn't dull by any means…

She loved when the sky got like this, it was so peaceful, yet attained an air of dangerous mystery. That's what she liked, wasn't it? It didn't sound like a question in her mind. The perfect example of this was none other than Sasuke Uchiha. Sometimes she just wanted to be better, like him—she wasn't stupid, she knew she wasn't the best she could be. That's the main reason she was skeptical of the other kunoichi transferred to the team. Her arms limply crossed over her flat chest as she leaned back against the tree, resting the bottom of her foot on the adjacent trunk. She wanted to be useful. Wasn't that why everyone became a shinobi? Acceptance? Recognition? Redemption? All of the above? But…next to those two…she just looked so weak. She clenched her teeth and fisted her scarlet uniform tightly, turning her head sideward's to the dirty ground.

...That's why Sasuke liked her, wasn't it? That redheaded wench…She had issues, dammit. Who would love that? Who?!

"Sakura," a dark voice snapped her out of her inner monologue, her gaze snapping up to meet the entrancing ebony eyes of the boy in question, standing roughly 10 feet from her arms crossed across his chest, almost defensively. "You look like something's on your mind."

He normally, wasn't one to get involved in other people's business, but whatever this problem was was affecting Sakura's gameplay. It was unnerving.

"Hm? Oh, nothing. I'm just kind of stressing about my mother's birthday…what to get her you know?" she chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. Sasuke didn't seem convinced (who would?) but accepted the answer anyway as two familiar kunoichi walked across the large field in a relaxed matter, both grinning. That is, until Sukai caught sight of the last Uchiha, to which she scowled and looked at the ground, cheeks turning just a little pink, as Miko bounded up to the two other teammates, Sukai in tow.

"Hey," she greeted casually, a warm smile gracing her face. "Where's Naruto?" she continued, dark honey eyes scanning the field around with a hint of innocent search in them.

"He went off a while ago…"

"Huh…I think I'll go off to have a look for the idiot, ne?" Miko smiled again.

--

--

Fear, mixed with pain, shock, and anguish plagued his face, as he clutched the blade protruding through his stomach, trying to stop the bleeding, as his mouth hung open similar to that of a fish. He fell to his knees, fingers never letting go of the kunai and then to plop down onto his stomach, blonde spikes bouncing at the impact. His surroundings were blurred—his hearing seemingly non-existent. Everything was moving in slow-motion, be it haze, or state of mind. As the edges of his visions blurred, his looked up to see a smirking grey-haired face hovering above him, and the blurred terrified cries of his brunette teammate ringing through his ears.

**-**


End file.
